Punjab drug inspector Dr Neha Shoree, posted at a government-run laboratory, was shot dead in her office in Kharar on Friday by a chemist who later committed suicide by shooting himself.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has directed the state DGP to ensure a speedy probe into the murder of Shoree who was posted as the zonal licensing authority with the Drug & Food Chemical Laboratory, Kharar.

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The CM ordered a prompt investigation into the matter to get to the bottom of the case and ensure exemplary punishment to the accused. He said no one would be allowed to interfere or intimidate any public servant in the discharge of their duties.

The incident took place around 11:40 am on Friday when Shoree was shot dead by Balwinder Singh, a resident of Morinda, with his licensed revolver. The accused went to the victim’s office and fired two rounds. He tried to run away but shot himself when got nabbed.

The accused reportedly used to run a chemist shop in Ropar and his licence had been cancelled by Dr Shoree in 2009 for keeping unauthorised drugs.

Expressing shock over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has sought Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s resignation.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Harpal Singh Cheema said the Amarinder Singh government had failed to curb the rising crime graph, which had sent shockwaves among law abiding citizens of the state.

“Day in and day out, the incidents of crime, like chain-snatching, car-jacking, robberies and dare-devil killings in broad day light come pouring, which reflected the dispensation’s colossal failure to check it,” he said.

Referring to the murder of the drug inspector, Cheema said the gory incident reflected the collapse of the law and order machinery in the state, and the government could not absolve itself of the onus.

He said women in the state were soft targets of the criminals enjoying protection of those at the helms of affairs.

The AAP leader said the murder of the drug inspector could not be seen in isolation. “There have been umpteen such incidents in the past to quote,” he said.

Cheema demanded that the CM Amarinder, who also holds the charge of state home minister, should resign as he had failed to curb crimes in the state.