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Panchkula cop found strangled to death in Chandigarh jungle
The victim, Ajit Singh, was found strangled with a cloth, said Chandigarh police; the body also bore blunt injuries on the head; a blood-laden stone and a sharp-edged weapon were found lying near the spot
Two unidentified assailants strangled a 42-year-old Panchkula police cop to death in the jungle area near the Sector 56 police post on Monday night.
The victim, Ajit Singh, was found strangled with a cloth, said police. The body also bore blunt injuries on the head. A blood-laden stone and a sharp-edged weapon were found lying near the spot.
Police suspect robbery to be behind the incident, although they are also not ruling out prior enmity.
Hired as a special police officer (SPO) for a one-year period, Singh was deployed with the Panchkula police’s economic offences wing.
According to police, on Monday, Singh was on duty at the Panchkula-Chandigarh border near the Housing Board light point from 8 pm to 8 am. However, he left for home around 2 am after calling in sick.
Around three hours later, in the wee hours of Tuesday, a passer-by alerted the Chandigarh police control room about the body of a man in police uniform at the Sector 56 forest.
Responding to the scene, the PCR team identified the victim with the nameplate on his uniform.
Later, after scanning CCTV footage near the scene, police spotted the cop arriving near the forest on a motorcycle, with two men accompanying him. Singh was seen parking his motorcycle and disappearing into the forest with the two unidentified men.
His motorcycle, wallet and other belongings were missing, leading police to suspect it could be an act of robbery. A forensic team was summoned to collect samples from the spot.
Police said Singh lived in Maloya, Chandigarh, 4 km from where his body was found. He is survived by his wife and children, the eldest son being 18 years old.
A case under Sections 302 (murder) and 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Maloya police station.
