50-year-old dies, nine accused still absconding

TARN TARAN Sixteen days after a clash between two groups of Congress party at Mari Kamboke village, 40km from here, which left a 35-year-old man dead and three injured, a 50-year-old man succumbed to his injuries at an Amirtsar-based private hospital, on Sunday.

During the incident indiscriminate firing took place between two rival groups over a passage.

The deceased was Pargat Singh of Mari Kamboke village. Bhikhiwind police have sent the body for post-mortem at Patti civil hospital.

On July 20, in the clash, Sukhbir Singh, 35, was killed on the spot, while three of his aides, Pargat Singh (50), Harpreet Singh (32), and Nishan Singh (40), received serious injuries.

The condition of th e two injured has been stated to be out of danger.

Police had booked 10 persons of the rival group under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

Accused are Sukhchain Singh, Harman Singh, Sukhraj Singh, Ranjit Singh, Daljit Singh, Nirvail Singh, Sarabjit Singh, all of Kamboke village; Dilbag Singh of Valtoha; Kulwant Singh of Bhaini Massa Singh village; and Lakha Singh of Kandiala village.

The police officials managed to arrest only the key accused, Sukhchain Singh, besides two others — Sukhraj Singh and Jugraj Singh.

All the other accused are still absconding.

Soon after the clash, former SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha, by posting messages in Whatsapp groups, claimed that the killed and injured were his party’s workers. Family members of the deceased and injured, in a video on the social media, claimed that they were not workers of Shiromani Akali Dal.

Family members of deceased said that the victims were working for Congress since past many decades.

FORMER SAD MLA VIRSA SINGH VALTOHA HAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIMED THAT THOSE KILLED AND INJURED WERE AKALI WORKERS