Panipat cloth merchant killed, Cong leader among 5 in dock

Police said the victim had earlier accused the local leader of attacking him, following which the latter had been arrested and released on bail in April.

A 60-year-old cloth merchant was alleged stabbed to death at his residence in the Jawahar Nagar area of Panipat city. The police have booked five persons, including a local Congress leader, in the murder case.

The deceased, Gurvachan Singh, was alone in the house when the incident took place on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

In their police complaint, his family members accused Congress leader Prem Sachdeva, his son and three others for the murder.

Police said they were also considering the enmity angle as Gurvachan had earlier accused Sachdeva of attacking him, following which the leader had been arrested and released on bail in April.

As per the cops, Gurvachan was found with multiple injuries, seemingly from sharp-edged weapons, and was rushed to the Panipat civil hospital. There, the doctors referred him to PGIMS, Rohtak, but his family members took him to a private hospital instead, where he was declared dead.

City police station in-charge Rajbir Singh said based on the complaint by Gagandeep Singh (victim’s son), an FIR has been registered against Sachdeva, his son Deepak, and relatives Sachin Mata, Jagdish Mata and local vegetable vendor Prem Chand under sections 302, 34 and 120-B of the IPC.

When asked about the motive behind the murder, the SHO said preliminary investigation revealed that both the families were engaged in a financial dispute for the past year.

Panipat DSP Vijender Singh said the police have started an investigation and the accused will be arrested soon.

Karnal superintendent of police Manisha Chaudhary said as per the complaint, the police have registered an FIR and are verifying the role of the alleged persons.