Gurdial Singh (55), an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Punjab Police posted on emergency duty at Makhu block in this district, allegedly jumped into the Ferozepur Feeder canal near Bangali Bridge at Harike on Thursday morning. His body is yet to be recovered.

Earlier, the ASI had recorded a video in which he accused seven persons of blackmailing and harassing him.

Meanwhile, the police have launched a search operation to trace his body and registered a case against all the persons named by him in the video, which he reportedly recorded before taking the extreme step.

In the video, Gurdial alleged that the accused — Ramandeep Singh, Amandeep Singh, Charanjeet Kaur, Santosh Singh, Pyara Lal, Vikramjeet Singh and Jyoti — had indulged in his character assassination by circulating fabricated videos of him and were demanding Rs 35 lakh to let him off the hook. He claimed that the continuous harassment had pushed him to take the extreme step.

The ASI further alleged in the video that his wife, Sarabjeet Kaur, had contested the recently concluded Municipal Council elections as a BJP candidate from Ward No. 11 in Batala against Ramandeep Singh, who had contested as an AAP candidate. He claimed that political rivalry following the elections had resulted in sustained harassment by the accused and their accomplices.

According to the police, the ASI was deployed at a naka near Mojgarh village in Makhu. After completing his duty on Wednesday, he returned to his residence in Batala. However, on Thursday morning, he reportedly left home in a hired taxi after telling his family that he had some urgent official work.

Police sources said that after reaching Bangali Bridge, Gurdial asked the taxi driver to stop, got out of the vehicle, removed his shirt and allegedly jumped into the Ferozepur Feeder canal.

Confirming the incident, SP (Detective) Manjeet Singh said a case had been registered against all seven persons named by Gurdial Singh in the video on the basis of a complaint lodged by Sarabjeet Kaur, the ASI’s wife.

“The allegations made in the video are being investigated. Teams of divers have been deployed to search the canal and efforts are underway to trace the body,” the SP said, adding that further investigation was in progress to verify the allegations levelled in the video and ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.