Punjab: 2 Jalandhar students shot at; accused held after encounter

Accused Lakhwinder Singh, alias Lakha, a native of Nawa Pind village of Jalandhar, suffered a bullet injury in his leg during the police action and is under medical observation at a local hospital, say police

Hours after two students of a private college sustained bullet injuries in their legs after being targeted allegedly by members of their rival student group, one of the assailants was apprehended following a brief encounter on Friday evening, police said. The accused has been identified as Lakhwinder Singh, alias Lakha, a native of Nawa Pind village of the district. He suffered a bullet injury in his leg during the police action and is under medical observation at a local hospital, officials said.

Accused is said to have opened fire at a group of students during a scuffle outside a petrol pump in Jalandhar’s Kishangarh area.

The police said a scuffle had broken out outside a petrol pump in Jalandhar’s Kishangarh area between two student groups of a private college in Bidhipur during which Lakhwinder, along with his accomplice Nachattar Singh, opened fire on members of his rival group, injuring two — Sourav Kumar and Gopi, in their 20s.

“Both groups had been at loggerheads over the student union’s presidential post in their college. After the scuffle, Lakhwinder and Nachattar managed to flee from the spot. Tracking their movement in Sadar Kapurthala, the police cordoned off the area. Seeing the police party, Lakhwinder opened fire with his illegal weapon. In a retaliatory action, one of the bullets hit Lakhwinder’s leg,” the police said, adding that further investigation was being carried out.