FDA Officer shot dead over cancelling pharmacy license

In a sensational incident in Punjab, a government's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) woman officer had been shot dead inside her office in Kharar near Mohali on Friday morning by a owner of a pharmacy, whose license was cancelled post a raid 10 years ago.

According to the police, the owner shot himself minutes later after being cornered by a mob at the gate.

The FDA Officer, Neha Shoree a resident of Panchkula served as the state's  Zonal Licensing Authority since 2016.

Chief Minister of Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh has ordered a probe into the incident.

The police has also informed that Shoree's 6 year old niece was also present at office during the incident.

Reportedly the attacker Balwinder Singh ran a chemist shop" in Morinda and Shoree had cancelled its licence in 2009. She was also scheduled to depose in a court case against him on the issue.

The attacker reached the FDA office on his motorbike around 10.30 am, entered Shoree's office, fired two bullets at her, one hitting the temple and the other on the chest, and shouted "Happy Holi".

Both Shoree and Balwinder were rushed to a private hospital nearby, where the officer was declared brought dead while the attacker died on way to PGIMER, Chandigarh.

A revolver and a knife had been recovered from the attacker, said the police.

Shoree is survived by a two-year-old daughter and husband Varun Monga, who works in a bank, while Balwinder has left behind a wife, two daughters and a son.