M A I N   N E W S

Political rivalry: 2 killed in Faridkot
Balwant Garg
Tribune News Service

Faridkot, March 30
Rivalry between two groups owing allegiance to two senior Akali leaders led to two murders in the Jaitu area of Faridkot today.

Riding in three cars, 11 members of one group allegedly opened fire on two members of the rival group who were travelling on a bike. The accused first hit the bike with their car and then opened fire on the victims who had fallen on the ground.

The enmity between the two groups-one owing allegiance to a former Akali minister and the other to an incumbent Parliamentary Secretary-had led to a murder in Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, on April 9 last year. Following a clash between members of the two groups at that time, members of one group had barged into the medical college and killed the injured kingpin of the other group.

To avenge that killing, members of the other group today killed their two rivals.

The rivalry between the groups of Ranjeet Singh and Sadhu Singh, both residents of Sewewala village, started after Sadhu Singh and his five family members were brutally beaten up in full public view by Ranjeet Singh and his supporters in Jaitu town last year.

While the injured were undergoing treatment at the medical college, Sadhu Singh’s nephew Chamkaur Singh allegedly killed Ranjeet Singh. Gurbaksh Singh, Ranjeet’s brother, suffered serious injuries in that attack.

Today, Gurbaksh Singh and his supporters allegedly killed Chamkaur’s brother Sukhpal Singh (45) and nephew Maninder Singh (23) while they were returning home from their fields.

Jaitu DSP Sukhdev Singh Brar said the police had registered a case of murder against 11 persons, including Gurbaksh Singh and his nephew Sharanjit Singh. No arrest has yet been made so far.

During the search of some vehicles four days ago, the police had seized some weapons from Sharanjit Singh and his three accomplices. Tension prevails in Sewewala village following the incident. Police personnel have been deployed in the village and at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, where the post-mortem of the deceased will be conducted on Monday.