Valentine week ends in tragedy for two aspiring lawyers in Punjab

A routine morning in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district descended into horror when a first-year law student allegedly shot dead his female classmate inside a crowded classroom and then turned the gun on himself, leaving two young lives lost and raising disturbing questions about campus safety, unchecked obsession, and institutional responsibility. The chilling incident, which unfolded in seconds and was captured on CCTV, is suspected to be driven by one-sided love and repeated pressure for marriage, the police said.

The incident took place on Monday morning at a law college in Usma village, when classes had not yet formally begun. Students were seated inside the classroom, chatting casually, unaware that a deadly confrontation was about to unfold. Within moments, gunshots echoed through the room, triggering panic and chaos across the campus.

The deceased student has been identified as Sandeep Kaur, a first-year law student and a resident of Naushehra Pannuan village. The accused, Prince Raj Singh, also a law student from Tarn Taran’s Mallian village, was studying in the same class. Both were around 20-years-old.

Police said that preliminary investigation suggested that the accused was upset over Sandeep’s engagement and had been pressuring her to marry him, despite repeated refusals. The situation allegedly escalated in the run up to the Valentine Week, when the student is believed to have proposed to her days earlier and was rejected.

Footage from the classroom CCTV camera has become a crucial piece of evidence. According to investigators, the video shows a normal classroom environment at around 9:16 am, with students moving around as the lecture had not yet started.

Sandeep Kaur was seated on the back bench with a female friend when Prince Raj approached and sat nearby. The two were seen talking briefly. Moments later, Prince stood up, reached into his bag, took out a pistol and fired at point-blank range, aiming at Sandeep’s head. She collapsed instantly.

Before anyone could react, the accused reloaded the weapon, placed it against his own head and pulled the trigger. The entire sequence — from drawing the pistol to the murder and suicide — took barely three seconds, the police said.

The shocked friend who was sitting next to Sandeep tried to help her but quickly realised she had died on the spot due to the severity of the gunshot wound.

She ran out of the classroom to alert college authorities as other students rushed in, only to flee in panic after seeing the blood-soaked scene.Sandeep’s mother, Harjinder Kaur, alleged that the family was initially misinformed by the college. She said that she received a call saying her daughter had suffered a minor injury after a small argument and was asked to come immediately. “When I reached the college, my daughter was already dead. She was lying in a pool of blood. She had been shot in the head,” Harjinder Kaur said. She questioned why the family was not told the truth and why security had failed so completely.

Sandeep’s father had passed away earlier. She was one of seven siblings - six sisters and a younger brother - and had been working part-time with a lawyer alongside her studies. Family members said that she was determined to pursue a legal career and had dreams of becoming a judge. Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagbir Singh said that the girl died on the spot, while the accused was rushed to hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Police are investigating how the accused procured the weapon and whether it was licensed.

The incident has triggered outrage among parents and local residents, who questioned how a student could enter a college classroom carrying a firearm without being checked. Allegations were also raised that college gates remained closed for several minutes after the incident, delaying access for parents and outsiders.