The sole eyewitness in a 2015 murder case was shot at in his house in Kumbra village in Punjab’s Mohali district on Friday morning, allegedly by the accused in the case and one of his aides.
The victim, identified as Veer Singh, a potter by profession, sustained three bullet injuries and has been admitted to a private hospital in Phase 8, Mohali, where his condition is stated to be stable.
As per the police, the accused, Manish Prabhakar, a permanent resident of America, had allegedly shot dead Harpreet, 26, an agriculturist from Barnala, in broad day light near the Kumbra light point in 2015. Veer Singh, who used to sell earthenware around the site was the sole eyewitness as well as the complainant in the case. He along with some passersby had managed to nab Prabhakar and tied him to a pole before police reached the spot.
“Prabhakar was facing trial and had got out on bail about three months ago. Ever since he got out, he had been pressurising, Veer to turn hostile before the court,” said Mohali senior superintendent of police Kuldeep Singh Chahal.
ACCUSED, AIDE HAD TEA WITH VICTIM
{{/usCountry}}ACCUSED, AIDE HAD TEA WITH VICTIM
{{/usCountry}}On Friday morning, the accused along with an aide turned up at Veer’s house at around 6.15am. After having tea with him, the accused allegedly shot at Veer thrice. One of the bullets pierced through his right shoulder while the other two hit his left thigh. Police have recovered three shells from his house.
HAD BEEN GETTING LIFE THREATS: WIFE
The victim’s wife Shanti Devi said that Veer had been getting life threats and was being pressurised to change his statement. “He had even been offered ₹2 lakh for turning hostile but he refused,” she said.
She said that they had just woken up when the accused turned up at their house. “I had offered them water and tea and then gone to the kitchen when I heard the gunshots.”
She added that after being shot, her husband gave a chase to the two men before collapsing. He was rushed to hospital by his family and neighbours.
“We had informed the police a number of times that my father is getting threat calls but they failed to act,” alleged Kamalpreet Singh, son of decreased.
Based on the family’s complaint, a case has been registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt), 120B (criminal intimidation) of IPC and Arms Act against Prabhakar and his aide. Phase 8 station house officer Shivdeep Singh Brar said Prabhakar’s accomplice is suspected to be Rajwinder Singh alias Raju.
The accused were caught on the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the house and outside.
BOTH HAVE MULTIPLE CASES AGAINST THEM
Prabhakar was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in an assault case registered against him in 2013 in Barnala. After moving to the US, Prabhakar married an Indian-origin girl, but later she divorced him. He used to drive a truck in the US for a living. In 2015, Prabhakar had come to India through Nepal to avoid being arrested by police. He was adjudged “Mr Barnala”.
Rajwinder alias Raju is also named as accused in about seven cases, including murder, attempt to murder, culpable homicide, in Barnala.