Out on mission, 4 contract-killers from Punjab held in U’khand

The sharp-shooters were allegedly hired by a history-sheeter, Kuldeep Singh Kedi, to kill a prominent trader, police said

Four sharp-shooters from Punjab were among seven people arrested on Tuesday by the Uttarakhand Police in Bajpur area of US Nagar district, police said on Wednesday. The sharp-shooters were allegedly hired by a history-sheeter, Kuldeep Singh Kedi, to kill a prominent trader, police said.

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The accused were presented before a local court which sent them to judicial custody.

Bajpur circle officer Deepshikha Agrawal said, “The incident came to light after the four sharp-shooters from Punjab, identified as Harpal Singh, Princepal Singh, Sukhraj Singh, all from Gurdaspur, and Yuddhavir Singh of Amritsar, were nabbed from a hotel in Bajpur after receiving inputs that some suspicious men are staying in a hotel since June 10.”

“When questioned, they said that they had come to visit Nainital but failed to show any e-pass for entering the state. Meanwhile, a prominent trader of the town Kulvinder Singh Kinda came to know about the development and lodged a police complaint, claiming that the four were hired by Kedi to kill him,” said Agrawal, adding “When we interrogated them strictly, they spilled the beans and confessed to the plan to kill Kinda.” The police also seized five country-made pistols and 15 cartridges.

The police officer said the suspects confessed that they were hired by Kedi to kill Kinda and were waiting for the right moment to strike.

“All four have a criminal background in Punjab including cases of murder and attempt to murder. During the interrogation, they also named three more accused identified as Harshdeep Singh, Harcharan Singh and Jagjit Singh, all residents of US Nagar district. They were also then nabbed by police who also confessed to their role in the conspiracy. The three were Kedi’s men and were coordinating with the four sharp-shooters on his behalf,” said Agrawal, adding the four were given an advance payment of ₹50,000 but refused to reveal the total amount of contract.

She said the main accused and mastermind behind the murder plan, Kedi, was on the run.

“He is a history-sheeter and had jumped parole in 2017. Since then he is on the run. He would be nabbed soon,” said Agrawal.