The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

CRIME FILE
Wife among 5 held for NRI’s murder
Tribune Reporters

Gurdaspur, February 26
In a major breakthrough, the Gurdaspur police solved the murder case of a US-based NRI Paramjit Singh, who was killed on February 22 at Kunde Lalowal village near here, with the arrest of deceased’s wife, who allegedly paid supari money to four people, including her paramour, for helping her plan and execute the murder.

SSP Varinder Pal Singh said a team comprising Purana Shalla SHO and Investigating Officer Lalit Kumar and SHOs of Gurdaspur city and Taragarh police stations, Paramjit Singh and Sukhpal Singh, respectively, was constituted to solve the case.

It is pertinent to mention here that Taragarh SHO Sukhpal Singh was also instrumental in tracking down the dreaded Vijay Topi gang which had unleashed a reign of terror in this district.

The SSP disclosed that after preliminary investigations, the police turned their attention to Gurpreet Kaur, wife of the deceased, who developed friendly relations with one Pawan Kumar of Jalandhar with whom she used have internet chatting from her home in New Jersey. Gurpreet Kaur revealed that she planned the murder owing to growing differences with her husband.

Gurpeet Kaur, who worked in a New Jersey post office, got in touch with Pawan Kumar once she and her husband landed in India for a holiday on January 20. Gurpreet agreed to pay her paramour a sum of Rs 2.5 lakh, which she claimed, was to be distributed among Pawan Kumar and three of his colleagues who were involved in executing the murder.

On the day of the murder, Gurpreet Kaur, along with her husband and six-year-old son, paid obeisance at the gurdwara and when she came out of the premises she feigned illness. That was the time when Pawan, along with two of his accomplices, attacked Paramjit with a sharp-edged weapon following which he died on the spot.

The police has arrested Gurpreet Kaur, Pawan Kumar, Baljit Singh, Kulbir Singh and Lalit Kumar. All the accused were produced in the court today.

Gang of contract killers busted

Nakodar: The police busted an inter-state gang of contract killers and robbers and arrested a member, identified as Gurpreet Singh, here today. From Gurpreet, who belonged to Dallewal village, the police found one .315 bore pistol and two live cartridges.

Nakodar DSP Rajinder Singh said Gurpreet’s three accomplices, identified as Karnail Singh of Shamshabad, Sonu of Mehatpur and Rattan of Haridwar are still at large. His other accomplices Dharmendera Singh of Shadipur village and Jagrup Singh of Talwan were killed in a police encounter near Mehatpur last month, while another gang member Raju of Nakodar was killed in a gang war.

The DSP said the gang was operating in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh for a long period and was involved in several murders and robberies.

DSP Rajinder Singh said the arrested has admitted that the gang killed NRI Mahinderjit Singh for supari and snatched gold ornaments worth Rs 12 lakh and $ 1,000 from a relative of Mahinderjit, near Bhogpur, on September 6 last year.

The DSP said Gurpreet further confessed that in March last year, the gang members attacked and wounded male members and raped some women of a family. Then set the house on fire before decamping with cash and a Skoda car.

The DSP said gang members were wanted in more than 70 cases registered against them in various police stations of the states.

Gurpreet was wanted in 15 different criminal cases.

School student booked for rape

Amritsar: The Sadar police booked a school student for allegedly raping a woman, residing in Gokal Vihar on the Batala Road, here today. The victim in her complaint said the accused, identified as Vish, who used to live near her house, threatened and forced her to make physical relationship. She alleged the accused used to blackmail her when she refused to comply with his wishes. A case under Sections 376 and 506 of the IPC has been registered against him.

Five of gang held

Amritsar: With the arrest of five persons, the Sultanwind police claimed to have busted a gang of vehicle-lifters and looters. All the accused were hooked to drugs. Those arrested included Jujhar Singh of Guru Nanak Pura, Bikramjit Singh of Kot Atma Ram, Maninderpal Singh of New Dashmesh Nagar, Gurwinder Singh of Uttam Avenue and Tarsem Singh of Bhai Manjh Singh Road.

The police also recovered three motorcycles, narcotic powder, a country-made pistol and sharp-edged weapon from them. A case under Sections 399, 402, 379, 411 and 379 B of the IPC, Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against them.

One shot at

Jalandhar: A man was injured after he was shot at by suspected robbers, who tried to loot a jewellery workshop at Chhati Gali, near Sudaan Chowk, here in the morning. The injured, identified as Sanjay, was a worker at the workshop.

In his statement to the police, Sanjay said two miscreants barged in the workshop at around 10 am and demanded the keys of the safe at gunpoint.

But when he refused to hand over the keys, he was thrashed and later shot at.

Other shopkeepers of the area rushed to the workshop after hearing the sound of the gunshots, which made the miscreants escape.

Later, the shopkeepers closed their shops and protested against the police authorities for the worsening law and order situation in the city.

The police has filed a case under Sections 307 and 394 of IPC against unidentified persons.

Cong MP offers her head to Majithia for beheading
Tribune Reporters

Hoshiarpur, February 26
Hoshiarpur MP Santosh Chaudhary said she was ready to sacrifice herself and asked Youth Akali Dal patron Bikramjit Singh Majithia, whose statements triggered a wave of anger in the Congress camp, to behead her to fulfil his desire.

Addressing a press conference, she asked Majithia to tell her the time and place for her sacrifice so as to fulfil his desire. If he has no sword, she would bring it with her whenever she would go to him.

She alleged that after going through the statement of Majithia, she thought that the latter was a head of some terrorist’s outfit. Such persons were not fit in politics and should be condemned, she added.

Cong men block traffic

Jalandhar: Congress workers, led by secretary Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Gautambir, today took out a massive procession and blocked the national highway near PAP Chowk demanding registration of a criminal case against Youth Akali Dal patron Bikramjit Singh Majithia for his remarks against former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. They said the committee would also file a complaint seeking his arrest.

The Congress workers shouted slogans against the government. They said they would not calm down till criminal proceedings were launched against Majithia for his criminal outburst. The party leaders condemned Majithia and told him that there was still time for him to apologise and withdraw his statement.

They challenged him that if he was really so brave to issue threats of beheading people he should come out in the open. “You are speaking under the shadow of your brother-in-law Sukhbir Badal and that is your only strength,” they told him. Meanwhile, general secretary of Youth Akali Dal Baljit Singh Neelamahal said Majithia’s remarks were being misinterpreted by the leaders of the opposition. He said such demonstrations could have an adverse effect on the law and order situation in the state.