30-year-old SAD supporter shot dead in Bathinda

A supporter of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was allegedly shot dead outside the court complex at Phool near here on Friday afternoon. The police have booked Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, a leader of the People's Party of Punjab (PPP) and close associate of party chief Manpreet Singh Badal, with three others Sewak, Kauri and Satti and some other unidentified people under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code in this connection.

A supporter of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was allegedly shot dead outside the court complex at Phool near here on Friday afternoon.

The police have booked Lakhwinder Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, a leader of the People's Party of Punjab (PPP) and close associate of party chief Manpreet Singh Badal, with three others Sewak, Kauri and Satti and some other unidentified people under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code in this connection.

The incident took place when victim Gurvir Singh alias Goldy was accompanying a SAD leader, who was going to file his nomination papers for the Mehraj Nagar panchayat poll. When they entered the court complex, they were alleged confronted by Lakha and Goldy. Soon they entered into an altercation. They came out of the complex and more members of both the groups gathered there.

According to SHO, Phool, Gurwinder Singh, when the quarrelling members of both groups were grappling with one another, somebody shot dead Gurvir Singh with a rifle. The accused fled the spot, the SHO said. The victim was rushed to the civil hospital, Rampura, but he was declared brought dead' there.

The SHO said that the police are yet to verify the actual names of all the accused. It is also yet to be verified that why Lakha Sidhana, along with so many others, was present in the court.

Lakha Sidhana had unsuccessfully contested the last assembly poll as a PPP candidate from Rampura Phul assembly segment against rural development and panchayat minister Sikander Singh Maluka. A murderous attack was made on him in May 2013 when a PPP rally was attacked in a village. A person was killed in the incident.

Maluka, who reached the civil hospital, Rampura, after the incident, termed it very unfortunate and said that the victim was accompanying other party leaders, who had come to file nominations for Mehraj Nagar panchayat polls.

I don't know what led to the incident, but it is condemnable that one resorted to shooting a man over minor altercation. "The victim was with Lakha Sidhana during the last assembly polls and had later joined the SAD," he said.

Manpreet Badal termed the incident as an unfortunate one and said that he is not aware as to what led to the provocation and who fired and it is up to th epolice to investigate the matter.

The polls to six municipal corporations in the state are scheduled on February 22 while for municipal councils and nagar panchayats on February 25.