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Amritsar shootout: Police trying to trace vehicle that dropped gangsters at encounter site
Earlier on Wednesday, eyewitnesses had claimed that they had sighted two vehicles — Mahindra Thar and Toyota Corolla — approaching the abandoned building at Hoshiar Nagar village in Amritsar
A day after two gangsters, accused of shooting Punjabi singer Shubdeep Singh, aka Sidhu Moose Wala, were killed in an exchange of fire at Hoshiar Nagar village in Amritsar, the Punjab Police have launched a hunt to trace the vehicle suspected to have dropped the duo at the encounter site.
Jagroop Singh, alias Roopa, and Manpreet Singh, alias Mannu, who were close associates of gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, were killed in a five-hour-long encounter at an abandoned house, where they were holed up about 14 kilometres from the India-Pakistan border on Wednesday.
“We have come to know that the accused were dropped at the encounter site by a car. Our teams are working on tracing the vehicle,” said deputy commissioner of police (DCP), investigation, Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar. Sources said some persons in the border area were in contact with the two gangsters.
Earlier on Wednesday, eyewitnesses had claimed that they had sighted two vehicles — Mahindra Thar and Toyota Corolla — approaching the abandoned building, which is surrounded by a fully grown maze field, situated on the Muhawa-Bhakna link road. However, anti-gangster task force head and additional director general of police (ADGP) Promod Ban had claimed in the evening that they were not aware of any vehicle used by the slain gangsters.
A senior official of the Amritsar police, seeking anonymity, said: “A police team had sighted the two gangsters in the village. The duo had fled to the abandoned building immediately after seeing the cops. There is a possibility that they had already stored arms and ammunition in the building. We are yet to get any confirmed report on why and how the accused had entered the building, which has been lying abandoned for many years.” The building, along with the fields adjoining it, was reportedly purchased by one Balwinder Singh of Bhakna village around six to seven years ago.
US-made pistol, 31 live rounds of AK-47 recovered
Forensic experts from Mohali had reached the encounter site on Wednesday evening and continued their examination on Thursday. “The forensic team has recovered 31 live rounds of AK-47 rifle, which was recovered on Wednesday. Similarly, a US-made pistol has also been recovered from the building,” said DCP Bhullar, adding that forensic examination of the site could continue for another two days.
Meanwhile, the senior cop cited earlier said a broken feature phone was also recovered from the encounter site. “It has been sent for forensic examination. Its records will help us find that who all were in contact with the accused,” he said.
Moose Wala’s father identifies slain gangsters
Meanwhile, Moose Wala’s father, Balkaur Singh, visited the Amritsar civil hospital to identify the accused.
Besides Balkaur, Moose Wala’a friends who were accompanying him and got injured when he was gunned down by six assailants, including the two gangsters, at Jawaharke village in Mansa district on May 29 were also called for the identification.
“It’s a good job done by the Punjab Police and such actions should continue. This is just a start. It is a long battle. With the killing of these two persons, my son will not return,” said Balkaur Singh after identifying the bodies.
