Police tread slow in Amritsar killing
AMRITSAR: Two days after the murder of right-wing outfit Hindu Sangharsh Sena’s district president Vipan Sharma, 45, at Bharat Nagar here, police are yet to arrest any accused.
“So far we haven’t booked anyone as we are still not sure at this stage about the accused. Pictures of some suspects are circulating in social media but we are yet to confirm their involvement,” said Jagmohan Singh, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), investigation.
Sources said teams raided possible hideouts of the suspected gangster in various parts of Punjab and Chandigarh; and also quizzed family members. “The mother claimed he has not met the family since four years. He is already a proclaimed offender in murder and attempt to murder cases,” said an officer.
Police investigation has so far hinted at personal enmity — and not a communal angle — behind the murder. “We are verifying leads that we have got related to financial quarrels as we learnt that he also lent money on interest (besides his cable TV business). There is strong possibility that the assailants didn’t come to kill him but his aide,” said a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, politicians from both BJP and Congress visited the victim’s family on Wednesday. Director general of police (DGP), law and order, HS Dhillon met the family on Tuesday night.
State BJP president Vijay Sampla blamed the Congress government in the state for the rising crime. “I have requested chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh for a meeting on law and order,” he said.
Amritsar’s Congress MP Gurjit Singh Aujla also called on Sharma’s family and blamed “foreign agencies” for “creating differences between Hindu and Sikh communities”.
BJP’s Kamal Sharma also visited the family.
Meanwhile, police announced Rs 5 lakh reward for information on the accused, one of whom was caught on camera. Police also urged road users not to cover their faces.
The Government Railway Police on Wednesday booked unidentified persons for vandalising Jammu-Tawi express. Hundreds of activists had blocked rail traffic for an hour and pelted the train with stones, and manhandled the driver, Ashok Kumar, on Tuesday. Windowpanes of some coaches too were damaged.