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Ludhiana brothers shot in head from close range: Autopsy
Mohit Khanna
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 1
The controversy over the killing of two brothers in the Jamalpur “police raid” refuses to die down. In a fresh twist in the case, the autopsy report shows that the two youth were shot in the head from close range. The report belies the police claims that the duo was killed in self-defence as one of them had snatched an AK- 47 from a home guard.

The post-mortem report prepared by a board of three doctors — Jasbir Kaur, Suresh Kaushal and Seema Chopra — shows that the duo was shot from a distance of less than six feet.

Questions are also being raised why home guard Baldev Singh, who was part of the raiding party, was carrying an automatic weapon (AK-47) when he was not authorised to do so. DIG (Ludhiana Range) GS Dhillon said: “It’s a serious negligence on the part of Machhiwara SHO if he has allowed a home guard to carry an automatic weapon. I have clearly told all SHOs under my jurisdiction to not allow home guard jawans to carry such weapons.”

The autopsy report says two shots were fired at Jatinder, while his elder brother Harinder received three bullets. In Jatinder’s case, a bullet pierced through his skull and got stuck in the neck. The second shot hit the finger of his right hand.

Harinder, too, was shot in the head. The bullet pierced through his right side and came out from the left. The second bullet hit his right arm and the third pierced his abdomen and got stuck in the liver.

“The cops could have fired at their legs, but they shot them in their head. This clearly shows the intention to kill,” said a police officer, pleading anonymity.

ADCP- III Satvir Singh Atwal said five shots were fired from the .32 pistol of SAD leader Gurjeet Singh and no other weapon was used. The police party was carrying one AK- 47 and a service revolver, said Atwal.

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Pramod Ban visited the Ahluwalia colony to recreate the crime scene. The forensic team visited the house to collect fingerprints and blood samples.

The accused, including SAD leader Gurjeet Singh, Constable Yadwinder Singh, home guard jawans Baldev Singh and Ajit Singh were produced in the court on Wednesday.

Controversy over police weapon