Moga Akali leader among 15 booked for killing AAP worker

Police have registered first information report (FIR) against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Jagseer Singh for allegedly killing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteer Jagroop Singh at Bhinder Kalan village in Dharamkot, 20km from Moga, on Sunday evening.

Police have registered first information report (FIR) against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Jagseer Singh for allegedly killing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteer Jagroop Singh at Bhinder Kalan village in Dharamkot, 20km from Moga, on Sunday evening.

The incident took place following a land dispute. Jagseer, a former sarpanch, along with 15 accomplices, armed with guns and sharp-edged weapons, allegedly went to Jagroop’s fields and started ploughing his land forcibly. When Jagroop objected to it, the accused opened fire at him, his nephew Pritpal Singh and father Jaura Singh.

The district police have booked eight people in this connection. The accused have been identified as Jagseer Singh, Satwinder Singh, Rajdeep Singh, Bhinda Singh, Mahinder Singh, Boota Singh, Sukha Singh and Mahinder Singh, all residents of Bhinder Kalan village. A case has also been registered against eight unknown persons. A case has been registered under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and various sections of the Arms Act at Dharamkot in Moga district. Accused Jagseer Singh, Rajdeep Singh and Manjit Singh are under treatment at Dayanand Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana.

“Police have been deployed in the hospital and accused will be arrested after they are discharged,” said Moga senior superintendent of police Snehdeep Sharma. In his FIR, victim’s brother, Ram Singh, said Jagseer wanted to encroach their 5-kanal land. The accused with his accomplices started firing at them when they objected ploughing of their land. “Last month also, Jagseer had attacked us in a bid to encroach the land,” he said.

SAD leaders in the dock

September 3: Clashes erupt between AAP and alleged Akali activists at Malout during a rally of Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann

September 12: A SAD councillor, along with his supporters, allegedly injured three AAP volunteers when they were returning home after attending a rally at Baghapurana

September 23: An Akali leader and his son allegedly beat up an eight-month pregnant nurse for making them wait for their turn at a hospital in Moga