DHARAMKOT, (Moga), Nov 13 — About five assailants today shot dead a senior Congress leader and President’s award winner, Harmesh Kumar Mukhija, and injured his bodyguard, Binder, at his shop in the Dharamkot grain market this morning.

According to information, five Tata Sumo-borne men struck around 10.30 a.m. at Mukhija’s shop and shot him dead with double-barreled guns and pistols. Three of the assailants have been identified as Gurbax Singh Kukku, his gunman, Surjit Singh, and Happy.

A case of murder has been registered at the Dharamkot police station on the complaint of Mr Des Raj, brother of the deceased.

The district police chief, Mr Sharad Satya Chauhan, said that eyewitnesses have identified at least three of the assailants. He claimed that the police had received information about the crime only an hour after it occurred.

Binder, the injured private bodyguard of the deceased, has been shifted to Ludhiana for treatment.

While sources in Mr Mukhija’s family say that the deceased was under threat and suspect the role of contract killers in the crime, Mr Chauhan said the police investigation revolved around the theory of his being murdered by those who had earlier registered a complaint against him for attempted murder during the Dharamkot Municipal Council elections.

However, Mukhija’s supporters allege that his murder was part of a political conspiracy.

Sheetal Singh, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) MLA from this assembly segment and a close kin of Punjab Agriculture Minister, Mr Gurdev Singh Badal, has been booked for the murder along with others.

A case in this connection under Sections 302, 307, 148, 149 and 120-B of the IPC and Section 25 of the Arms Act has been registered in the local police station. No arrest has been made so far.

Police sources said that Mukhija’s son, Rakesh Kumar was also allegedly crushed to death in the second week of October by Sheetal Singh. A murder case in this connection had also been registered against Sheetal Singh on October 14, but he had not been arrested till date.

Mr Nachhattar Singh, DSP, said that in the FIR lodged in connection with the murder of Mukhija, the complainant had alleged that the Congress leader had been murdered under a well-planned conspiracy hatched by Sheetal Singh and his associates.

Mr Hardeep Singh Dhillon, who along with the SSP, Mr S.S. Chauhan, visited the shop of the victim, told TNS that a special investigation team (SIT) had been constituted for probing the murder. He added that the SIT members included SP (D), DSP (D), Inspector, CIA, and local Station House Officer (SHO).

The police sources said that Mukhija was allegedly murdered as he had got a case registered against Sheetal Singh for allegedly murdering his son. The kin of deceased alleged that the victim was under constant threat from the MLA and his associates.

They further alleged that Sheetal Singh enjoyed full immunity from law as he was not arrested even for a single day despite the fact that a case of murder had been registered against him last month.

The sources said that Mukhija was sitting in his shop when a white Tata Sumo stopped in front of it this morning. Three men came out of it and went inside the shop. Two others, who were sitting in the vehicle, came out later on.

The three men fired two shots from point-blank range, killing Mukhija on the spot. The two accused who were standing outside the shop kept on challenging Mukhija.

A pall of gloom descended in the city after the brutal murder of Mukhija, who was popular among the masses for his social service and his contribution during floods and for helping the downtrodden. A section of shopkeepers also downed their shutters following the murder.

This is the second incident of its type in this region. Earlier, a Congress worker was murdered in a police station in Ferozepore district by a BJP leader a few months ago.

The police had a tough time pacifying the people, who were demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.

Heavy police force has been deployed in the town to deal with any untoward incident as crowds gathered at the scene of the crime.

Punjab Chief Secretary R.S. Mann and Moga’s SSP immediately left for Dharamkot. Earlier, the police cordoned off Dharamkot and all adjoining areas.

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President, Capt Amarinder Singh, has condemned Mukhija’s killing.