NRI murder case: Ludhiana police suspect role of contract killers

Bal Singh, an employee of the victim, who is also an eyewitness, said that he along with the victim, Baninderdeep Singh, 42, was going on a bike when the incident happened

A day after the murder of an NRI, police suspect the involvement of contract killers in the crime and rounded up some of the suspects for questioning on Wednesday.

Baninderdeep had gone to Canada in 2017. He along with his wife Sukhvir Kaur had returned to India a few months ago. (iStock)

Bal Singh, an employee of the victim, who is also an eyewitness, said that he along with the victim, Baninderdeep Singh, 42, was going on a bike when the incident happened. He was driving while Baninderdeep was riding pillion.

Bal said that when they reached near Thakur Colony, four assailants riding two bikes came there. They assaulted Baninderdeep with a sharp-edged weapon on the back of his neck. When he fell on the road, the assailants assaulted him again and escaped leaving him injured.

Bal said that he rushed the NRI to hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.

According to police officials, Bal failed to provide any crucial information about the assailants.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP, Rural) Jaskiranjit Singh Teja said that the victim was already involved in some property dispute. The police are also scanning all the cases in which he was involved.

Prima facie it suggests that he was murdered following an old rivalry, Teja said.

The Sadar police have already registered a case against unidentified individuals under sections 302 (pertaining to murder) and 34 (relating to criminal acts committed by multiple individuals in furtherance of a common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the statement of Jaspreet Singh of Village Barmalipur of Doraha, brother-in-law of the victim.

Baninderdeep had gone to Canada in 2017. He along with his wife Sukhvir Kaur had returned to India a few months ago.