Jandiala Guru councillor’s murder: Main suspect held after brief exchange of fire
The prime accused in the murder case of Jandiala Guru municipal councillor Harjinder Singh was arrested by the police after a brief exchange of fire here on Monday.
Three other accused, who were identified on Sunday, were also arrested today.
The municipal councillor was shot dead in broad daylight in Chheharta.
The prime accused in the case has been identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, a resident of Shekhupura Mohalla in Jandiala.
He was admitted to the Civil Hospital after he was injured in the exchange of fire with the police. According to the police, Gopi had fired at them in a bid to escape.
The other arrested included Jobanjit Singh, alias Joban, of Nangal Guru village, Gurpreet Singh, alias Don, of the Nawankkot area in Jandiala and Amit of Ghode Shah in Jandiala.
All accused were allegedly operatives of Dubai-based gangster Kishan.
Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, along with Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagjit Singh Walia, visited the encounter spot.
Bhullar said Gopi wanted to avenge the registration of FIRs against him and his family members at the behest of Harjinder Singh.
Gopi had two cases registered against him under the NDPS Act.
He was also booked in an attempt to murder case, in which Harjinder Singh was the complainant.
Recently, the police had picked Gopi and his family members in a case and he suspected that Harjinder was behind all this.
Bhullar said the police arrested Jobanjit Singh from Goindwal Sahib, while Gurpeet Don and Amit were arrested from a hotel room.
Their interrogation revealed that Gopi was going towards the Tarn Taran area, following which police teams, led by Chheharta police station SHO Vinod Sharma, chased him.
He was arrested from near the Fatahpur area. Trying to escape, he fired at the police party. “Vinod Sharma first asked him to surrender, but the accused fired at them. The cops had a narrow escape as the bullet missed them and hit a wall of the cremation ground near the spot. The SHO, in self defence, fired at the victim’s leg, leaving him injured,” said the Police Commissioner.
The police seized a 9mm pistol used to kill Harjinder and a bike from the spot.
Meanwhile, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the government should take action against the cops who failed to take timely action on the complaints submitted by Harjinder, who had approached the police for ensuring the safety and security of his family after a couple of attacks on his house.
Punjab