Ten days of sustained work by the special investigation team (SIT) formed to crack the July 14 case of a pastor’s murder in Ludhiana has led to tracing of the escape route of the killers up to a distance of 18 kilometres.
Police teams scrutinised footage from at least 100 CCTV cameras installed at private and government establishments along possible routes from The Temple of God church in Peeru Banda Mohalla of Salem Tabri, where the 50-year-old pastor Sultan Masih was shot dead by two bike-borne assailants.
From Peeru Banda Mohalla to Jodhewal and Meharban areas, the route has given cops some crucial clues. While the shooting of the pastor is available on CCTV footage nearby, police started collecting video from shops, factories, houses and banks in the lanes from the spot. As it led to a maze, the police chalked out a detailed plan and explored all possible routes.
Recovery of one piece of footage in which the bikers were seen led to the another, and so on. However, their faces remain muffled all along.
“It was a tough job as there are narrow lanes opening like a multi-pronged fork. If there were three lanes opening from one point, our men went in all three, asking for footage from houses, shops and factories. Finally, the grabs were put together and we could chart out the escape route,” said police commissioner RN Dhoke.
{{/usCountry}}“It was a tough job as there are narrow lanes opening like a multi-pronged fork. If there were three lanes opening from one point, our men went in all three, asking for footage from houses, shops and factories. Finally, the grabs were put together and we could chart out the escape route,” said police commissioner RN Dhoke.
{{/usCountry}}The way the killers moved on the bike in the narrow lanes showed they were familiar with them, and not outsiders. “However, nothing can be said till now on the role of any outsider as we are exploring various theories and angles,” said Dhoke.