Akali leader shot dead in Gurdaspur, three booked

GURDASPUR: District senior vicepresident of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Gurbachan Singh was shot dead over alleged political rivalry at Ferochechi village under the Bhaini Mian Khan police station in Gurdaspur district at on Monday evening.

Gurdaspur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jasdeep Singh Saini on Tuesday said a case under the Sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Bhaini Mian Khan police station against Col Surjit Singh (retd), his son Sumit Singh and their third accomplice Sajjan Singh, all residents of Ferochechi village.

The SSP said that Gurbachan Singh was bringing fodder from his fields when he was stopped on his way by Surjit and his accomplices. After heated arguments, Surjit, who reportedly owes allegiance to the Congress, took out his licensed pistol and fired at Gurcharan, injuring him seriously and died during treatment at the Gurdaspur civic hospital. “The police have recovered a shell of the cartridge from the spot,” the SSP said. He added that Surjit and Gurbachan had filed criminal cases against each other that further embittered their relations. The SSP said that Sajjan has being rounded up while Surjit and his son Sumit are on the run.

Meanwhile, Akali workers led by Youth Akali Dal general secretary Sukhjinder Singh Langah staged a dharna with the body of the deceased in Gurdaspur. Heavy police force was deployed at Purana Shalla and later at Ferochechi village where the body was cremated. HTC