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Punjab crime: Bathinda shopkeeper’s friends caught for killing his mother, attacking him
Two brothers among three accused arrested, search on for fourth attacker; police say theft was motive behind killing
Four days after a 60-year-old woman was killed and her 33-year-old son was left seriously injured in Bathinda, police on Wednesday arrested three of the four accused and said theft was the motive.
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Superintendent of police (investigation) Ajay Gandhi said two of the accused were brothers and friends of victim Vikas Goyal. They lived in Kheta Singh Basti in the neighbourhood of Vikas and his mother, Madhu Rani Goyal.
“Tonu Yadav, his brother Monu Yadav and the third accused, Sewak alias Pata, all lived in the same locality. The fourth accused, Harman Singh, is a resident of Siwian on Bathinda’s outskirts. Based on electronic evidence and intelligence inputs, all four were identified. They are labourers and used farm implements to attack the victims. A search is on for Harman,” Gandhi said.
The arrested accused are aged between 18-24 years.
The police recovered ₹25,000 from the accused, who struck on December 10 night. Initially, the police did not suspect theft as household items were found untouched. Nothing was stolen from the victim’s grocery shop in the vicinity either. The victims had been running the shop for the past two decades.
“Monu and Tonu have been friends with Vikas for the past 10 years and they were aware that he had money for a house under construction. They knew Vikas had the habit of keeping all the cash in his pocket, which is why they didn’t touch anything else in the house and attacked him brutally,” the SP said.
The accused attacked the mother and son when they resisted the attempt of robbery. More cash recovery is expected, the police said.
CCTV footage near the crime spot shows the four accused roaming around near the house and entering it around midnight.
Vikas suffered head injuries and was operated upon in a private hospital, but he is yet to gain consciousness.
