Sarpanch among two hurt as drug peddlers open fire in Amritsar

Assailants, wanted by police in many cases, arrested

AMRITSAR: Two men fired at residents of Janian village, around 20km from district headquarters, after being challenged on the suspicion of peddling drugs at about 3pm on Sunday.

The sarpanch, Sikandarbir Singh, 35, and another village resident, Sahib Singh, 35, were injured in the shots that were fired from a .32 bore pistol. Police claim the duo, on a motorcycle, had came come from Jandiala, which is around 2km from the village, to peddle drugs.

Jandiala SHO Rashpal Singh said the two miscreants had been identified as Krish and Kuddu and were on the wanted list of the police.

“Three cases under the NDPS Act are already registered against them at the Jandiala police station,” the SHO added.

Yadwinder Singh, the brother of the sarpanch, said, “Due to the coronavirus outbreak, men of the village have been keeping vigil. They noticed the two strangers, on a motorcycle, and another two men in a Maruti car near our village. The men on the motorcycle were seen inside the village and residents attempted to catch them. However, they fired and injured two village residents. We found a drug and Rs 10,000 on them, and handed them over to the police. The Maruti could not be traced.”

The SHO added, “Krish opened fire and a .32 bore pistol has been recovered from the duo. We have found a drug on them.” A case has been registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 188 (defying magistrate’s order), 269 (spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 25-54-59 of the Arms Act against the accused at Jandiala police station.

THE DUO HAD COME ON A MOTORCYCLE TO PEDDLE DRUGS BUT WERE NOTICED BY ALERT VILLAGERS WHO CHALLENGED THEM