Punjab: Contract killer held for scrap dealer’s murder, pistol seized
Five days after a 33-year-old scrap dealer was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Shahkot area of Jalandhar district, police have arrested a contract killer and recovered a foreign-made 9mm pistol used in the crime
Jalandhar : Five days after a 33-year-old scrap dealer was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Shahkot area of Jalandhar district, police have arrested a contract killer and recovered a foreign-made 9mm pistol used in the crime.
The accused has been identified as Sher Singh, alias Shera (32), a resident of Rajewal village in Shahkot sub-division. Police have also booked a US-based NRI, Jagpreet Singh, who also hails from Rajewal village, for allegedly hiring Sher Singh to eliminate Sandeep Singh, the scrap dealer who was killed on December 19.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harvinder Singh Virk said multiple police teams were constituted after the incident to investigate the case. “Based on technical and digital evidence collected from the crime scene, police tracked the movement of Sher Singh, who was already wanted in another case of attempt to murder registered at the Phillaur police station last month,” the SSP said.
He added that Sher Singh was arrested during a special operation conducted in the Shahkot area. A foreign-made 9mm pistol (Zigana, manufactured in Turkey) was recovered from his possession.
During investigation, police found that Sher Singh and Jagpreet Singh were friends before Jagpreet moved to the United States through the “donkey route” a few years ago. According to SSP Virk, Sher Singh confessed that Jagpreet had promised to pay him ₹2 lakh to kill Sandeep Singh due to a personal enmity.
{{/usCountry}}During investigation, police found that Sher Singh and Jagpreet Singh were friends before Jagpreet moved to the United States through the “donkey route” a few years ago. According to SSP Virk, Sher Singh confessed that Jagpreet had promised to pay him ₹2 lakh to kill Sandeep Singh due to a personal enmity.
{{/usCountry}}The SSP further said Jagpreet had arranged the 9mm weapon for Sher Singh in the first week of November to carry out the crime. Prior to the murder, Sher Singh allegedly opened fire at a Phillaur-based youth identified as Karan on November 9 following a scuffle, leading to the registration of an attempt-to-murder case.
{{/usCountry}}The SSP further said Jagpreet had arranged the 9mm weapon for Sher Singh in the first week of November to carry out the crime. Prior to the murder, Sher Singh allegedly opened fire at a Phillaur-based youth identified as Karan on November 9 following a scuffle, leading to the registration of an attempt-to-murder case.
{{/usCountry}}“After that incident, Sher Singh went into hiding and conducted a recce before killing Sandeep in Shahkot on December 19,” police said, adding that Sher Singh had returned to India about four months ago after spending over one-and-a-half years in Dubai.
{{/usCountry}}“After that incident, Sher Singh went into hiding and conducted a recce before killing Sandeep in Shahkot on December 19,” police said, adding that Sher Singh had returned to India about four months ago after spending over one-and-a-half years in Dubai.
{{/usCountry}}Police investigations revealed that Jagpreet had been threatening Sandeep after the latter married Jagpreet’s former female friend, Kajal, on November 6. In his statement, Surinderpal, the younger brother of the deceased, told police that Sandeep had been receiving repeated calls from Jagpreet, who wanted him to sever all ties with Kajal.
Sections 103 (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act, have been invoked against both Jagpreet Singh and Sher Singh.
According to the police, eyewitnesses stated that the accused approached Sandeep on the pretext of purchasing old car parts. After a brief conversation, they followed the victim and shot him before fleeing the spot.
Police also said that Sandeep had divorced his first wife three months ago and is survived by two children from the marriage.
