Mohali: Main accused among 4 held in Phase-11 murder case

The arrests came after a three-day operation during which police teams travelled nearly 4,000 kilometres across states to prevent the accused from fleeing to Nepal

Mohali Police have arrested four more accused, including the main assailant, in the murder of a 26-year-old youth near Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Phase 11. The youngster,

Senior officials privy to the development said dedicated teams tracked the movement of the accused continuously for three days. (HT File)

Gursevak Singh, was allegedly trying to stop a group from creating ruckus outside the temple, where he had gone to pay obeisance on the occasion of Shiv Ratri, when he was stabbed during an altercation.

The arrests came after a three-day operation during which police teams travelled nearly 4,000 kilometres across states to prevent the accused from fleeing to Nepal.

Police identified the arrested accused as Sandeep Kumar alias Mona, Saurab, Shravan and Keshav. Sandeep Kumar alias Mona is the main accused who allegedly stabbed Gursev Singh. Saurab was involved in the altercation with the victim, while Shravan and Keshav were part of the group that fled after the attack.

Senior officials privy to the development said dedicated teams tracked the movement of the accused continuously for three days. The teams coordinated through live location sharing as they moved across districts in Uttar Pradesh. Acting on inputs, one team reached a railway station where they suspected one accused was attempting to escape.

At the crowded station, police spotted a man who had boarded a train without a ticket and had been deboarded by the ticket examiner. Finding it difficult to confirm his identity in the rush, officers called out the name “Keshav.” When he turned back in response, police immediately apprehended him. During questioning, they gathered information about the whereabouts of the other accused.

Police then traced three accused to a village near Moradabad in UP. Three of them were hiding there and were arrested from the village. One of them attempted to brandish a knife when police approached, but officers overpowered him. Another accused surrendered in the village. Officials said all four had planned to cross into Nepal to evade arrest.

SP Dilpreet confirmed the arrests and said further investigation is underway. Earlier, police had apprehended two juveniles and arrested 10 others in connection with the same case. Phase 11 police registered a case under Sections 109, 118(1), 77, 190 and 191(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.