Poll nominees’ relative found dead

Nabha:jasveer Singh, 45, of Kaidupur village in Nabha sub-division was found dead in the common village pond on Wednesday evening. Villagers are linking the death to the December 30 panchayat polls as three members from Jasveer’s family, his brother, uncle and a cousin’s wife, are contesting for panchayat membership from three different wards of the village. Kaidupur village has 100 acre of common village land and the panchayat earns a heavy amount from it.

Thirteen candidates, apart from covering candidates, had filed nominations for seven seats of members and two had filed papers for sarpanch in the village. Villagers claim that there was tension over the polls as a group of candidates had claimed that the panchayat had been formed through consensus.

Last week, this had turned contentious and Jasveer’s brother, cousin and three other candidates had quarrelled over the issue. “That day, the two sides had come to blows,” said a candidate on the condition of anonymity, adding that tension was palpable

in the village since then.

COUSIN NAMES THREE

Balwinder Singh, the cousin of the deceased, named three persons, saying Jasveer had quarrelled with the three in an inebriated condition the previous night. “He (Jasveer) had not returned since. We had launched a hunt for him,” he claimed. Villagers, who found the body first, claimed that his hands were tied, indicating that he was thrown in the pond.

Nabha Sadar SHO Jai Inder Singh said, “The body was sent for autopsy. We are recording the statements of his kin.”