‘Gangsters, love affair behind fatal shooting at Amritsar wedding’

A day after crime, district police claim to have found motive behind clash that claimed lives of two persons

AMRITSAR:THE clash in Amritsar on Monday that claimed lives of two persons and injured as many, was not an ordinary fight. It was part of a gang war with love affairs as the trigger, Amritsar police claimed to have found during investigation a day after.

The wedding ceremony of a woman of Khaparkheri was going on in the banquet hall near the village when two rivals, Manpreet Singh alias Manga (30), a friend of the bride’s brother, of nearby Haweliana village; and Harwinder Singh alias Ghudhi (31), arrived there. Both were invited to the function and got into a bloody fight due to old enmity. Both died on the spot during gunfight.

Notably, Ghudhi had three cases had already registered against him in different police stations in Amritsar. His two aides -- Gagandeep Singh alias Gagan and Amarjit Singh, both of Chabhal in Tarn Taran district — who have been named in the case registered in Gharinda police station on the statement of Ranjit Kaur, mother of Manga, also have a criminal background. As many as 12 cases have already been registered against them in different police stations in Amritsar and Tarn Taran.

Apart from the trio, Gurpinder Singh alias Bhinda of Khaparkheri village, and 5-6 unknown persons are also booked for allegedly killing Manga, said Parmpal Singh, senior superintendent of police (rural).

For allegedly killing Harwinder Singh, a cros- case was registered against Manga, Monu Cheema of Chabhal, Sukhdev Singh of Marhi Megha, Inderjit Singh of Chhina Bidhu Chand, Gurpreet Singh and Pamma, both of Khaparkheri.

Police also found love affairs behind the grudge between Manga and Ghodhi. It has been learnt during the investigation that they were close friends once and used to meet at each other’s homes.

Manga fell in love with a close relative of Ghodhi who kept a grudge and found the wedding ceremony where Manga was invited as an opportunity to attack him.

Some sources revealed another theory. They said Ghudhi reached the venue of the ceremony with his aides. They first snatched rifle from Manga and shot him with his own rifle. To ensure cross-fir against Manga, Ghudhi asked his aides to shoot him targeting his leg, but the target was missed and Ghudhi also died.

However, this fact would be confirmed on seeing the autopsy report.