Fugitive gangster, aides gun down Rupnagar resident
: A fugitive gangster and his accomplices gunned down a resident of Nurpur Bedi village on Friday.
According to the police, Des Raj Singh alias Mall (48) of Bahman Majra village was shot dead by gangster Dilpreet Singh Baba and his aides who entered the victim’s house around 3 am when all the family members were asleep.
Des Raj’s son Jaswinder Singh Fauji said the accused pointed a gun to his head and enquired about his father. After hearing the commotion, the other family members too woke up. Then Dilpreet fired two bullets into Des Raj’s chest, killing him on the spot. The accused then fled .
Dilpreet, a notorious gangster of Rupnagar, is an accused in 18 criminal cases. He had escaped from police custody on May 18 last year.
Jaswinder said about a year ago when his father had gone to Anandpur Sahib in connection with a court hearing, he had an altercation with Dilpreet Singh and his aide Jassi Kalwan. Since then, Dilpreet was issuing threats to Des Raj, who had taken up the matter with police, added Jaswinder.
Rupnagar range DIG Babu Lal Meena, SSP Nilambari Vijay Jagdale and other police officials visited the crime spot. A case under Sections 302 (murder),307 (attempt to murder),452 (housetrespass) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC has been registered at the Nurpur Bedi police station.
Des Raj’s family and other villagers blocked traffic on the Nurpur Bedi-Garhshanker road at 1pm, demanding arrest of the accused. Local MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa also participated in dharna.
The protesters finally lifted the blockade around 5 pm after assurance from police .