Spat over calling woman aunty led to double murder: Police

The victims, who were employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and were having dinner at the dhaba, objected when a youth in his early twenties addressed the dhaba owner daughter-in-law as ‘aunty

An altercation between two parties over calling the daughter-in-law of a dhaba owner ‘aunty’ led to the murder of former national hockey player Amrik Singh (35) and his friend Simranjit Singh in Patiala on Wednesday night, police said.

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The victims, who were employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and were having dinner at the dhaba, objected when a youth in his early twenties addressed the dhaba owner daughter-in-law as ‘aunty’, the police said. A heated argument ensued between the victims and the youth who was accompanied by his father, identified as Manoj.

“The father-son duo left the dhaba only to return a few minutes later with a 12 bore rifle. One of them opened fire at Amrik and Simranjit from a point-blank range. The two died on the spot and the accused fled from the crime scene,” a senior police official said.

It is not clear yet as who opened fire, he said, adding the two were eating dinner at the dhaba for the last three to four days.

Civil Line police station in-charge Rahul Kaushal said, “We have not named anyone in the FIR so far. The investigation is on.”