In Punjab MLA Gurpreet Gogi’s tragic passing, Ludhiana also loses an animal lover

From feeding chickens and goats to caressing pigeons and horses; milking cows with own hands to giving a shelter to stray dogs at his home– with the passing of Gogi, the residents of Ludhiana city are also mourning the loss of an animal lover, for whom the voiceless creatures were an indispensable part of his day.

Apart from caressing pigeons and horses, Gogi also visited gaushalas (cow shelters) often to donate for injured and non-milching cattle.

Apart from his pet dogs- Pablo, a Tibetan Mastiff and Whiskey, a Shih Tzu- Gogi had also created a kennel for stray dogs inside his residence in Ghumar Mandi Area.

“His other pets including chickens, pigeons, cows, horses, goats etc live at his farm house on Hambran road where he would visit regularly. He would feed all of them with his own hands. He would milk cows and buffaloes, make pigeons sit on his shoulders and play with them for hours. He also loved patting and feeding goats. Wherever he would see any creature, not just the ones he owned, he would start loving it. Stray dogs at his home would get equal care as his own pets,” said Manish Kapoor, his personal assistant, who would spend his entire day with Gogi.

“All we know is that a person who loves voiceless animals and feels their pain is a good human being by heart. Ludhiana has lost not just an MLA but also a man who cared for animals,” said Mehak Jain, a local resident.

Gogi also visited gaushalas (cow shelters) often to donate for injured and non-milching cattle.

From feeding chickens and goats to caressing pigeons and horses; milking cows with own hands to giving a shelter to stray dogs at his home– with the passing of Gogi, the residents of Ludhiana city are also mourning the loss of an animal lover.

Probe till now

On Friday night around 11.30 PM, Gogi, 57, died after receiving a bullet injury that pierced through his temple, from his own .25 bore pistol at his residence. Police said “prima facie it was accidental fire” when the MLA was “cleaning his weapon.” He was taken to DMCH but had died.

DCP (investigation) Shubham Aggarwal said Sunday: “We are still awaiting the autopsy report.”

Inspector Balwinder Kaur, SHO division number 8 police station said: “According to the family’s statement including his wife and son, the weapon went off accidentally when he was cleaning it. Forensic reports are also awaited.”

A doctor who was a part of the autopsy team said: “There were entry and exit points on his head as a bullet pierced through.”

A first-time MLA who won his election on the AAP’s ticket from the Ludhiana West constituency in 2022, Gogi was known to be “passionate” about weapons and motor vehicles. A “vintage lover” by his own admission, Gogi was said to have a “huge collection” of weapons, old and new luxury cars and two-wheelers, and various other antiques.

He often made ripples in Ludhiana, both with his political actions and his fleet of colourful vehicles. However, while filing his election nomination papers in 2022, he rode his white Bajaj Priya scooter, which he called his “lucky mascot”.