Photo lab owner dies by suicide, three booked

Amritsar, March 1

The owner of a print lab, Amritpal Singh, ended his life by shooting himself in the head at an abandoned building of a private drug de-addiction centre at Rakh Jhita village falling under the Chatiwind police station here on Thursday evening.

He was perturbed over being harassed by an influential car repair shop owner and his two sons, said the victim’s family members. Following a complaint by the victim’s son Dilashish Singh of Housefed Complex, New Amritsar, the police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against the suspects. They were identified as Pardeep Gabbar and his two sons Vishal and Raghu.

He told the police that his father had two photo printing labs — one at City Centre near Sangam Cinema and another near the Ram Talai temple market. He said the accused ran a car repair shop next to the victim’s shop at Ram Talai temple. They used to park cars outside this shop thereby blocking the way to the shop. He said whenever they asked Pardeep Gabbar to remove the cars, he and his two sons started quarrelling with them. He alleged Gabbar started filling bogus complaints at the municipal corporation and with the police by using his influence. He said his father was very upset over this. Yesterday, he went out of the house in his car. He said later he did not respond to the phone calls. When he did not return till evening, he started looking for him.

With the help of GPS system in the car, they located the location at Rakh Jhita village where they found his car. His body was lying in a pool of blood on the car seat with bullet in the head. He immediately called his relatives and rushed him to hospital where doctors declared him dead. His licensed pistol was also there at the car seat.

Investigating officer said a case was registered against Pardeep Gabbar and his two sons.