Amid tight security arrangements in the city for the upcoming elections, a local gang headed by Gursharan Singh Bhallu allegedly opened fire at his arch-rival Pancham Noor Singh of Rasta Mohalla in broad daylight at the Cool road on Sunday morning.
Pancham has sustained five bullets and is struggling for life at DMCH Ludhiana. Bhallu of Bhai Ditt Singh Nagar is a proclaimed offender and is facing around ten cases. Pancham and the accused were earlier good friends. As per the victim’s friend Puneet Sharma ,27, of Khusropur village who was with Pancham in the SUV at the time of the incident, they were going to Jamsher dairy complex for work. “Pancham was driving. When we reached near Bombay marriage palace he stopped the car to meet his friend Shammi of Bhargo camp.”
In the meantime, Bhallu along with three masked men arrived on Activa scooter and a bike. Bhallu fired at the victim five times injuring him seriously. Puneet took Pancham to SGL hospital with commuters’ help. He has sustained two bullets in the abdomen, two in the back and one in the arm.The senior police officials including police commissioner Arpit Shukla, deputy commissioners of police (DCP) Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar, Sandeep Kumar Sharma and others rushed to the spot .
The cops recovered four shells from the spot. Family members of victim held a protest and raised slogans against BJP candidate KD Bhandari, who is also MLA from North constituency for sheltering Bhallu. Bhupinder Singh, victim’s cousin alleged that the accused openly sells ‘Chitta’ in Rasta Mohalla and Pancham had objected to that.
{{/usCountry}}The cops recovered four shells from the spot. Family members of victim held a protest and raised slogans against BJP candidate KD Bhandari, who is also MLA from North constituency for sheltering Bhallu. Bhupinder Singh, victim’s cousin alleged that the accused openly sells ‘Chitta’ in Rasta Mohalla and Pancham had objected to that.
{{/usCountry}}He revealed, “Pancham is supporting Congress nominee Bawa Henry while Bhallu is working for BJP leader KD Bhandari.”When contacted BJP candidate KD Bhandari refuted the allegations of victim’s family and claimed, “Whenever anyone has complained about Bhalu, I have taken action against him.”
Shashi Sharma, head of the Punjab Human Rights Organisation, questioned city police commissioner as he had personally tipped off the police about Bhallu but police failed to nab the accused. On this, commissioner of police Shukla claimed, “The police tried its best to arrest Bhallu and even raided in Ludhiana and at his suspected hideouts but we were unable to catch him.”
In the evening, Pancham was shifted to Ludhiana’s DMCH owing to his serious condition. A case has been registered against Bhallu under Sections 307 , 34 of IPC and 25, 27, 54, 59 of Arms Act. DCP Bhullar said, “We have rounded up suspects for questioning.” As per information Pancham is also facing three cases. He was arrested on June 12, 2016, for possessing an illegal weapon..