Hoshiarpur, Feb. 8 -- Armed assailants on Saturday gunned down a retired Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector's wife while she was returning home after paying obeisance at a shrine at Mehandwani village in Hoshiarpur district, police said.

The incident comes in less than 24 hours of gruesome killing of AAP leader Satwinderpal Singh, alias Lucky Oberoi in Jalandhar's posh Model Town area on Friday.

The fifth such killing in the state since January triggered a sharp reaction from the Opposition that attacked the government over the "deteriorating" law and order situation.

The Hoshiarpur victim has been identified as Rachna Devi, 60. Her husband Sham Lal had retired from the force three years ago, said police. "The assailants fired three...