The Daba police on Sunday arrested the second accused in connection with the murder of Shakti Singh, alias Bhoora, who was brutally killed in Lohara Colony on Saturday. The accused, Lakhvir Singh, alias Vicky, owned the house where the victim and the other suspects had gathered hours before the attack.
The police suspect the murder was the fallout of an argument among friends over alleged lewd remarks Shakti had made about the sister of one of the accused.
According to investigators, the gathering took place at Vicky’s house on Friday night, where some of those present allegedly objected to the lewd remarks made by the 35-year-old man and suspected that he was interested in the woman. The exact sequence of events leading to the killing is still under investigation, they said.
Shakti was attacked with a sickle on Saturday morning, and his right hand was chopped off at the wrist. The assailants then placed the severed hand in a polythene bag and handed it to a local grocer, asking him to deliver it to the victim’s family.
Shakti was rushed to hospital but succumbed to excessive blood loss. The grocer has no involvement in the crime, the police said.
{{/usCountry}}Shakti was rushed to hospital but succumbed to excessive blood loss. The grocer has no involvement in the crime, the police said.
{{/usCountry}}The police registered a murder case on their own initiative instead of waiting for a statement from the victim’s family. The FIR names seven accused and other unidentified persons.
Lakhvir Singh, alias Vicky, and Dalbir Singh, alias Deepu have been arrested in connection with the murder and a hunt is on to nab the remaining accused — Rahul Bewda, Mana, Gagan Dhillon, Lado, Mani Basha and a few unidentified persons, the police said.
Inspector Jatinder Singh, station house officer (SHO) of Daba police station, said, “The arrested accused are being questioned to establish the circumstances that led to the attack.”
The police also said that the victim was a history-sheeter who faced at least 12 previous FIRs involving offences like robbery, murder and theft.