RPG attack: Charat Singh ‘carried out’ blast day after jumping parole

PK Jaiswar

Mehdipur (Khemkaran), May 14

Charat Singh, who was booked in connection with the May 9 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) blast at the state intelligence headquarters in Mohali, was to return to jail on May 8. He was out on a 56-day parole, given after eight years of his conviction in a murder case.

The police have named Charat as the main attacker along with two unidentified accomplices who carried out the RPG blast. So far, six persons, including a woman, have been arrested in the case. The police have launched a manhunt to nab Charat, who is at large.

His eight-year-old son along with his adopted daughter were at home when The Tribune team visited his Mehdipur village. They claimed the police had picked up Charat’s wife Rajbir Kaur for questioning in the wee hours. His son while playing in the verandah with another village boy kept asking for his mother.

The village is located barely 3 km from the Pakistan border. The residents seemed hesitant to talking about him.

Wishing not to be named, the villagers and relatives said they weren’t aware of his involvement in the Mohali attack, but added the murder he committed eight years ago had left the family devastated. He entered the world of crime after being booked in an alleged false case following a quarrel between two groups at Khemkaran, they claimed.

While Charat suffered a bullet injury at the time, he was booked for murder bid allegedly at the behest of the then local SAD leadership. He subsequently left the village. He later murdered a SAD leader, Shashi, whom he accused of implicating him in the case, they said.

The court convicted Charat along with younger brother Jagroop Singh of murder and sentenced them to 10 years in prison. Jagroop, who is unmarried, was also out on parole, but he returned to jail a few days ago.

Charat’s wife, son and their adopted daughter were currently living in the house. Charat’s mother had died a couple of years after his conviction. The brothers owned 12 acres, which they had given out on contract.

Village of accused 3 km from pakistan border

• Charat Singh, along with brother, was convicted of killing a SAD leader over a ‘false’ case and awarded 10-yr jail
• His Mehdipur village in Khemkaran, where his wife, son and adopted daughter live, is located 3 km from the Pak border