M A I N   N E W S

16 hurt in midnight attack by robbers in Kapurthala villages
Umesh Dewan/TNS

Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala), May 13
Unidentified assailants left 16 persons injured in a midnight attack on two families of Mothanwala and Kamalpur Bhatha villages in Kapurthala district today. The assailants took away cash and jewellery from both places.

Nine persons were admitted to the civil hospitals at Sultanpur Lodhi and Kapurthala, while seven critically injured were taken to a hospital in Jalandhar. Most victims suffered serious head injuries besides limb fractures.

Blood stains were found on the floor, bed and even walls at both crime scenes. The assailants ransacked rooms and pried open almirahs before making their exit.

The masked assailants armed with swords, hockey sticks and sickles first struck at the house of Maksudan Sahni, a building contractor, at Kamalpur Bhatha village around 12.45 am.

They assaulted Sahni, his wife Madhu, son Pawan, daughters Kiran and Pooja before fleeing with Rs 25,000 and gold ornaments. Sahni was taken to Satyam Hospital in Jalandhar, while the other injured members were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Sultanpur Lodhi.

Around 1.30 am, the assailants targeted another house at nearby Mothanwala village. They brutally assaulted 11 family members, all of whom sustained multiple injuries. “Besides head injuries, most of us suffered broken arms as we tried to parry the attack,” said Harpreet Kaur, one of the victims, while talking to TNS.

“The family head, Ajit Singh, is in critical condition and will be operated upon soon,” said a doctor of Satyam Hospital. Besides Ajit Singh, the other family members who sustained serious injuries, including Gian Kaur, Seetal, Hardyal, Jaswinder Kaur and Harpreet Kaur, were also admitted to the Jalandhar hospital.

The remaining family members, including Manjeet Kaur, Gurwinder Singh and Jaswant Kaur, were taken to the Civil Hospital, Kapurthala, whereas Balwinder Kaur and Manpreet Kaur were undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital, Sultanpur Lodhi.

The police was yet to ascertain the exact amount of cash, jewellery and other valuables robbed in the two incidents as the victims remained hospitalised. The state borders were sealed and raids were being conducted. Kapurthala DC DS Mangat and SSP Inderbir Singh visited the crime scenes.