Ludhiana: Proclaimed offender among two held in bizman murder case, say cops

A 9mm Glock pistol along with a live cartridge has also been recovered from their possession. Raids are being conducted at several locations to arrest the remaining accused

The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Ludhiana, and Commissionerate Police on Monday arrested two alleged members of the group involved in the murder of 25-year-old realtor and garment trader Harjinder Singh and recovered a 9mm Glock pistol and a live cartridge from their possession.

The accused in police custody in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT photo)

The accused have been identified as Mohit of Jassian Road and Manjeet, alias Bobby, of Chandarlok Colony. Police, however, are yet to establish whether the recovered weapon was used in Harjinder’s murder.

Inspector Gaganpreet Singh, SHO of Tibba police station, confirmed the arrests and recovery. “Two accused, Mohit and Manjeet alias Bobby, have been arrested. A 9mm Glock pistol along with a live cartridge has also been recovered from their possession. Raids are being conducted at several locations to arrest the remaining accused,” he said.

Police said Manjeet, alias Bobby, was already wanted in two cases registered under the NDPS Act and had been declared a proclaimed offender by a court.

Harjinder was shot dead around 11.30 pm on August 7 in Swatantar Nagar after dropping his friends following a dinner in Sarabha Nagar. Police have linked his murder to an old rivalry.

“Harjinder suffered five bullet injuries and multiple wounds allegedly caused by sharp-edged weapons,” the investigator said.

The killing triggered a protest by Harjinder’s family and relatives, who blocked the Ludhiana-Delhi National Highway near Basti Jodhewal for five hours on Sunday, demanding the immediate arrest of all accused named in the FIR. The family also refused to conduct last rites of the victim unless all the accused are apprehended.

A purported video, the veracity of which could not be independently verified by HT, is making rounds on social media showing that the assailants continued to assault Harjinder with sharp-edged weapons after he had been shot and was lying motionless.

Police said they were questioning the two arrested accused and examining the recovered weapon and other evidence to establish their exact roles in the murder and identify the remaining members of the group.