Amritsar, Jan. 29 -- In yet another brazen targeted killing linked to extortion syndicates, a 43-year-old chemist was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the border town of Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district.

The victim, Ranbir Singh Bedi, ran a medical store in the town's main market and had been receiving extortion threats. This is the fifth targeted killing carried out by the gangs running extortion rackets in the state in over two months.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around 8am just soon after Bedi opened his shop. Two motorcycle-borne masked men arrived at the shop posing as customers and opened fire at point-blank range before fleeing.

Locals rushed Bedi to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to the bul...