Punjab Top Cop Appeals For Calm After Right Wing Leader Shot Dead

 Police will unveil any conspiracy behind the murder of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri, Punjab top cop Gaurav Yadav said on Friday and urged people to maintain calm.

Earlier in the day, more than five shots were fired at Suri outside a temple in a busy Amritsar locality after which he fell down and lost consciousness. He was taken to a hospital where he died due to injuries, they said.

The accused, Sandeep Singh, has been arrested and the weapon used in the crime seized, police said.

Addressing the media, Mr Yadav said Punjab has an "exemplary record of communal harmony" and appealed to people to maintain the "hard-earned peace".

"We will not allow the situation to be disturbed. We will unveil the entire conspiracy behind the murder and all those who are behind it will be arrested," said Mr Yadav in a hurriedly called press conference.

Police will carry out the investigation on the basis of available evidence, Mr Yadav said, adding that the situation in Amritsar was fully under control.

The DGP said Singh, who own a garment shop, has been arrested and his questioning is underway.

In the preliminary investigation, it came to the fore that Singh had never met Suri, said the DGP while refusing to divulge any details about the line of investigation.

He said Singh fired five bullets from his .32 bore licensed weapon some of which hit Suri.

It is an unfortunate incident and we condemn it strongly, he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)