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Landlord booked for Ludhiana shopkeeper’s murder
The victim, 62-year-old Darshan Lal of Joshi Nagar, was running a bookshop on premises rented from accused Paramjit Singh Bhalla of Pink Flats, Pakhowal Road
The Haibowal police booked a landlord on murder charges after a shopkeeper died following a brief scuffle on Friday evening. The victim’s kin alleged that the accused had beaten him to death following a dispute over the shop.
The victim, 62-year-old Darshan Lal of Joshi Nagar, was running a bookshop on premises rented from accused Paramjit Singh Bhalla of Pink Flats, Pakhowal Road. However, they were locked in a dispute regarding the shop and the owner wanted them to vacate the premises. The matter was sub judice in a local court.
A first-information report (FIR) was registered following a complaint by the victim’s son Puneet Marwaha.
Puneet said that they run a bookshop on Pakhowal Road. His father Darshan Lal was at the shop when the accused turned up and attacked him. He alleged that the accused thrashed his father so much that the latter lost consciousness and fell on the floor, following which the accused escaped from the spot.
Puneet added that he rushed the victim to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. Puneet then informed the police.
He alleged that despite the matter being sub judice, the accused continued to threaten them to vacate the shop.
Haibowal station-house officer (SHO) sub-inspector Satnam Singh said that the man might have died of a cardiac arrest. The body has been sent to civil hospital for an autopsy and the cause of death would be ascertained after a report. No arrest has been made so far, he said.
