IN Punjab, an encounter with the law can quickly turn deadly. Encouraged by a culture of ‘shoot first, ask questions later’, the province’s law enforcement agencies, particularly its Crime Control Department, have been racking up an alarming tally of extrajudicial killings. The CCD killed 924 suspects during dubious ‘encounters’ over eight months in 2025, according to an HRCP fact-finding report, which was released earlier this year. Its killing spree has continued apace, with the department’s ‘achievements’ hailed by the provincial leadership as an example of the state ‘protecting citizens’ life,........

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