E-Paper
Main accused in Tarn Taran sarpanch’s murder held
Punjab DGP identified the accused as Sukhbir Singh alias Sukh, a resident of Barwala village in Tarn Taran.
The anti-gangster task force (AGTF) and Tarn Taran police have arrested the prime accused involved the 2024 murder case of a local sarpanch (panchayat head), director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.
He identified the accused as Sukhbir Singh alias Sukh, a resident of Barwala village in Tarn Taran.
Police said they have also impounded a black Hero Splendor motorcycle.
On September 12 last year, one Bachittar Singh alias Bikkar, the then sarpanch of Naushera Pannuan village of Tarn Taran village, was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants at the village.
In a statement, Yadav said the accused is a habitual offender and has multiple cases registering against him, including charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Arms Act cases and snatchings. He added that investigation to identify his associates and unearth the full extent of his criminal activities is ongoing.
Sharing details, additional director general of police (ADGP AGTF) Promod Ban said the joint teams traced both the accused involved in the incident to Pahuwind village in Tarn Taran based human and intelligence inputs.
Assistant inspector general (AIG) Sandeep Goel said that they apprehended one of the accused near a gurdwara at Pahuwind village.
Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police (SSP) Abhimanyu Rana said Sukhbir played a crucial role in hatching a conspiracy to execute the murder. He was involved in conducting a recce ahead of the attack, he said.
The SSP said that with this, the police have arrested seven of the eight accused nominated in the case. Investigations are ongoing and police are on a manhunt to nab the eighth accused, he added.
Officials said the case under sections 103 (murder) and 3(5) (criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 25 of the Arms Act was registered at the Sarhali police station on September 13, 2024.
