3 min readLudhianaDec 24, 2025 09:39 PM IST
First published on: Dec 24, 2025 at 09:37 PM IST
Former Punjab Police IG Amar Singh Chahal, who allegedly shot himself, was out of danger and recovering, Park Hospital, Patiala, confirmed on Wednesday evening.
In a statement released by the hospital, it was stated that a team of doctors at the hospital successfully saved the life of Chahal, who was brought to the emergency department with a self-inflicted gunshot injury to the chest.
The statement said the patient had a bullet entry wound on the left side of the chest and an exit wound on the back, resulting in massive blood loss of approximately 1.5 litres.
“His life was saved by a multidisciplinary medical team led by cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon (CTVS) Dr Sidharth Garg, with critical anaesthesia management by Dr Arjun Pratap Joshi and surgical support from Dr Gurjot Singh. The complex emergency surgery, which lasted nearly 3–4 hours, involved repair of the torn lung and stabilisation of chest wall fractures,” the statement added.
Garg stated that survival rates in chest gunshot injuries are generally only 30–40 per cent, depending on the severity and extent of internal damage. In this case, doctors noted that the family made a timely and crucial decision to bring the patient to the nearest super-specialty hospital instead of shifting him to a distant higher centre in Chandigarh, which played a significant role in saving his life. Prompt resuscitation and immediate emergency care further contributed to the successful outcome.
On arrival, the patient was in a critical condition and was immediately shifted to the ICU, where life-saving resuscitation and intubation were carried out. “An intercostal drain (ICD) was urgently inserted by General Surgeon Dr Gurjot Singh. A diagnostic CT scan was conducted to assess the extent of injuries, following which the patient was taken up for emergency surgery. As all routine operation theatres were occupied, a special operation theatre was prepared on an emergency basis to respond swiftly to the complex trauma case,” Sidharth said.
During the surgery, doctors found multiple rib fractures and a large tear in the left lung. The bullet had passed dangerously close to the heart and major blood vessels, making the procedure extremely high-risk. The surgery was further complicated by extensive lung damage and severe blood loss.
“Post-operatively, the patient was kept on ventilator support in the CTVS ICU for two days, after which he was successfully extubated. At present, the patient is stable, off ventilator support, and is taking a soft diet. Doctors expect complete recovery within about one week,” Col Rajul Sharma, chief executive officer, Park Hospital, Patiala, said.
Ex-Punjab IG Amar Singh Chahal. (File Photo, enhanced using Google Gemini) 
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