BATHINDA, March 7 -- In a brazen daylight attack that has once again raised questions over the law-and-order situation in the state, a village sarpanch and local gym owner was shot dead in Baghapurana town of Moga district on Friday morning. Police authorities said they have identified the assailants, and teams are working to apprehend the culprits. The victim, Harpinder Singh, alias Happy, the sarpanch of Patto Hira Singh village, was attacked at about 11 am on the Bagha Purana-Kotkapura road, police said. People aware of the matter claimed that the deceased was not an active member of the Aam Aadmi Party and had been elected as an independent. The killing of Harpinder adds to a series of attacks on AAP village heads in Punjab this year. On January 4, AAP sarpanch Jarmal Singh was killed at a wedding in Valtoha village in Amritsar district. The Davinder Bambiha gang later claimed responsibility. On February 18, AAP sarpanch Harbarinder Singh of Thathian Mehta village was gunned down using an AK-47 during a wedding in Tarn Taran district. The Lakhbir Landa gang claimed the hit via social media. On February 28, a bid was made on the life of Mohinder Singh, the AAP sarpanch of Bute Dia Chhana and a Jamhoori Kisan Sabha leader, in Jalandhar. One of the five accused, Sukhjit Singh, was arrested on Thursday after an encounter. It was a case of personal rivalry. Harpinder was rushed to a nearby government hospital in critical condition, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment, police sources said. Station house officer (SHO) Jatinder Singh told reporters that, prima facie, the victim suffered 7-8 gunshots. "Further details will be ascertained after autopsy," the SHO said. Moga senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ajay Gandhi, who rushed to the spot, said the killing was a fallout of personal enmity rather than a random act of terror. He said the victim was a history-sheeter. "Harpinder had 10-12 criminal cases registered against him and had a tiff with another group," the SSP told reporters, adding, "The assailants and the vehicle used in the crime have been identified through CCTV footage. Our teams are chasing the culprits." The SSP confirmed that three to four individuals arrived in the SUV. The police cordoned off the area and are scanning CCTV footage from the Baghapurana-Kotkapura highway to track the escape route of the white Fortuner used in the crime. Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have criticised the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government for the "complete breakdown of law and order" and the brazenness of gangster-led hits. In a Facebook post, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the state government has failed to check criminal activities. SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia termed it as a failure of the state police to provide safety from the criminal elements....