Doon ex-MLA’s cousin murdered in Baddi

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, May 7

Less than a week after the gruesome killing of a woman Town and Country Planning official in Kasauli, Harjinder Pal, a Baddi trader and cousin of former Doon MLA of the Congress Ram Kumar Chaudhary, was brutally murdered by a father-son duo at Chakka village in the Baddi industrial area around 8:30 pm on Sunday.

A dispute arose over a piece of land where the deceased was constructing a second floor. The accused Ramesh Dhawan, who operates City Cable at Baddi, however, claimed that the land belonged to him. He had earlier in the day lodged a complaint with the police following which the police had worked out a compromise between them and the land was supposed to be demarcated without executing any fresh construction.

DSP Khajana Ram said Ramesh Dhawan, who arrived on the spot around 8 pm with his son and four or five accomplices, got into a scuffle with Pal’s worker Manoj Kumar near the disputed site. Harjinder, however, intervened and directed Manoj to go home while a scuffle ensued between them. Harjinder was attacked with sharp-edged weapons by Ramesh, his son Vinay and others following which he sustained grievous injuries on his face, head, arms as well as legs and he fell on the ground.

According to witnesses, he was then overrun by a white XUV (HP-12-H-0389) and killed on the spot. The accused, along with his accomplices, fled after the incident.

Though Harjinder, 54, was rushed to the Baddi-based Community Health Centre by his son, he was declared brought dead by doctors. Harjinder was a resident of Sandholi village in Baddi. He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter.

Vinay was arrested from his house in the evening while his father was also nabbed later from the Haryana border. The police said search was on to trace other accomplices though witnesses failed to clarify how many miscreants were involved in the murder.

The police were informed about the incident by the CHC staff around 9:05 pm. An irate mob raised slogans outside the CHC, demanding the suspension of the SHO. The Baddi-Nalagarh highway had been also blocked by protesters for several hours.

The deceased was a known businessman of Baddi. The news of his killing spread like wild fire, causing anger among the locals.

A case under Sections 302 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against the father-son duo.

The body of the deceased has been handed over to his family members after post-mortem where multiple injuries from blunt and sharp-edged weapons were reported on his face, head, arms and legs.

Former Doon MLA Ramkumar Chaudhary, who was the cousin of the deceased, terming it the worst breakdown of law and order, said anti-social elements had no fear of law ever since the BJP government had assumed charge. He said ‘gunda raj’ was prevailing in the area where the miscreants were openly intimidating the innocent people.

Mardi reviews situation

Director General of Police SR Mardi paid a surprise visit to the Nalagarh police station where he inspected the dates pertaining to various crimes which have taken place recently. He also took stock of the situation arising out of the killing of a trader at Baddi and said while two accused had been apprehended, the remaining would be arrested soon after the interrogation of those arrested. He also passed directions to the staff to ensure prompt and speedier action.