Ludhiana: 55-year-old man succumbs to injuries; 3 booked for murder

The victim fell from roof in an inebriated state while hurling abuses to the trio and was assaulted by them

A 55-year-old tractor driver succumbed to his injuries two days after he was allegedly assaulted by three neighbours in Ghalauti village near Khanna, following a quarrel. Payal police have registered a murder case against the three accused.

Payal police have registered a murder case against the three accused. (HT File)

According to the FIR registered on the statement of the victim’s wife, Baljinder Kaur, her husband Karnail Singh returned home from work on his motorcycle around 9.30 pm on September 4. She said he had consumed alcohol and told her that a man was following him and standing near their house. When she went outside, she saw Lali and his brother Gaggi. She took Karnail inside and bolted the gate. Later, Karnail went to the roof and began loudly abusing someone. Baljinder said she could hear voices from outside in which Karnail was also allegedly being abused.

After the voices stopped, she opened the door and found Karnail lying outside the house, with injuries to his head and face.

According to Baljinder’s nephew Gurpreet Singh, who was present at the spot, Karnail had fallen from the roof and was then allegedly assaulted by Sandeep Singh, Lali and Gaggi while he was lying on the ground.

Karnail was taken to a private hospital in Rara Sahib and later referred to Civil Hospital, Ludhiana. He was subsequently shifted to Government Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, where he died during treatment on September 6.

Baljinder told police that the assault could be linked to an earlier quarrel between Karnail and the accused as about a week before the incident, the two sides had allegedly exchanged abuses during a quarrel on the road, following which the accused had threatened to harm Karnail.

Deputy superintendent of police Payal Harmanpreet Singh Cheema said, “A case has been registered under Sections 103 (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Sandeep Singh, Lali and Gaggi.”