Banur MC chief booked for murder of Congress councillor’s husband
OLD RIVALRY Six bullets were pumped into his body by six men around 9.30pm on Wednesday
MOHALI: Police in Banur town of Mohali booked its municipal council president Nirmaljit Singh ‘Nimma’ for murder after Daljit Singh Walia, alias Prince, husband of Congress councillor Preeti Walia, died after six bullets were pumped into his body by unidentified men around 9.30pm on Wednesday.
Sources said there was old rivalry between Nimma and Prince since school time that had resulted in police cases. In 2015, Ni mm a managed to become MC president with the SAD-BJP regime’s backing, but now, after the Congress wrested power in the state earlier this year, there were attempts to remove him as president.
Ni mm a was booked on Thursday along with Amrit, Sim rat, Sukhjeet, Deepu, Gurkeerat and three unidentified persons.
The murder took place when Prince was taking a walk on Rajomajra Road in Banur, and the assailants came in a Ford Endeavour SUV. Prince was rushed to a private hospital in Mohali where he was declared dead on arrival. Sources said all the assailants were under 25 years of age and hailed from Haryana.
CARS NATCHED LATER
After committing the crime, the assailants fled towards Dera Bassi, through Ghaggar Bridge, Amlala, when their car tyre got punctured. At first they made a failed attempt of snatching the car of a man named D harm in der Singh, resident of Kar Kaur village, who was shot by them in a thigh. He managed to escape in his Ford Ikon sedan. Then they made another bid to snatch a car by stopping the Maruti Swift in which Major Sing hand Kul want Singh, resident of Chandyala, were travelling. They shot Major Singh in a thigh while Kulwant Singh got minor injuries as they assaulted them; and the killers managed to take away their car.
The three injured men rushed to civil hospital of Dera Bassi and were referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32, Chandigarh.
CAR FOR CRIME
Even the Ford En de av our which was used in the crime had been snatched at gunpoint in Kurukshetra from Lachman Bansal while his driver Vijender was behind the wheel on August 1. Vijender said three persons with guns stopped their car and took it away around 10pm that night.
For Wednesday night’s events, two cases have been registered.
A case has been registered under sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, and under the Arms Act, at the Ban ur police station. In the second case, at Dera Bassi, the IPC sections imposed include 307(attempt to murder) and 395(dacoity) among others, besides the Arms Act.
While Dera Bassi falls in Mohali police district jurisdiction, Banur falls under Patiala police. When contacted, Mohali SSP Kuldeep Singh Chahal said, “We are investigating the matter and have got some clues. A positive lead is expected soon.” Patiala SSP S Bhoopathi too said, “Supari (contract) killing angle cannot be ruled out.”
A post-mortem at the Mohali civil hospital revealed that the body had six bullets besides other injuries. The body was in the mortuary.