3 men free heroin smuggler after firing at police team in Ferozepur
broad daylight firing at a dhaba in Ghallkhurd village on the Ferozepur-Moga road, 18km from district headquarters, three men on two bikes freed a convicted drug smuggler, Harbhajan Singh, 23, from the custody of a three-member team of the Patiala Police on Saturday.
Harbhajan, of Nihale wala village in Ferozepur, is serving seven years at the Nabha Jail, after being convicted of heroin smuggling under the NDPS Act. He also faces two other cases under the same act in Ferozepur, including for recovery of 22-kg heroin on him.
On Saturday, the Patiala Police had brought him to the court of additional district and sessions judge, KK Goyal, in Ferozepur. The judge adjourned the matter to September 24. While on the way back to Nabha, the police team (only one of the cops was armed) halted for a meal at the dhaba, where the incident took place. Initially, the miscreants had acted as villagers and had even sat down on a table to have a meal.
Head constable Lachman Singh was injured in his thighs during the firing. Initially, he was admitted to the Ferozepur Civil Hospital, but was later referred to Government Medical College, Faridkot.
FLED SMUGGLER HAS FAMILY HISTORY OF CRIME
Police claim that Harbhajan has a family history of crime. His brother Shammi is a cross-border smuggler lodged in Amritsar jail and is accused of speaking regularly to his contacts in Pakistan from the prison itself. Shammi was jailed after a 30-minute encounter in Tarn Taran on September 29, 2017, sources said.
Harbhajan’s parents and sister are also in Amritsar jail after heroin was recovered from them.
“Shammi and Nirwail Singh of Ferozepur, the latter is lodged in Faridkot jail, deal with Pakistani smugglers and import drugs and arms into India. They have supplied around 100-kg heroin in various parts of Punjab and neighbouring states,” a senior police official said. He added, “Sending such a high-profile drug smuggler to an outstation court hearing with just three cops, of which only one was armed is a gross violation of rules.”
He added that, given the circumstances, the role of police team accompanying the prisoner is also under the scanner. “It is questionable that why did they stop at an isolated dhaba,” the officer added.
“We have recorded the statements of the three Patiala policemen. There are strong leads on the accused. We hope to crack the case soon,” said Manvinder Singh, SP (headquarters), Ferozepur.
We have recorded the statements of the three Patiala policemen and have got vital clues. We hope to crack the case soon. MANVINDER SINGH, SP (headquarters), Ferozepur