Main accused in ex-Akali sarpanch’s murder arrested, four still at large

BATALA : Police on Tuesday arrested Major Singh (27), the main accused in the murder of former Akali sarpanch Dalbir Singh Dhilwan (55) who was hacked to death at Dhilwan village in Dera Baba Nanak sub-division of Gurdaspur district on November 19.

The assailants had attacked him several times with a sickle before pumping six bullets into his chest when he was out on a stroll along with his brother Harwinder Singh.

Major along with his brother Mandeep Singh (28), father Balwinder Singh and four other persons had waylaid the victim, the police had claimed.

Two of the accused, Balwinder Singh and Amritpal Singh of Dalam village, have already been arrested. While the police nabbed Amritpal from Maharashtra on November 28, Balwinder surrendered in court on December 19.

Batala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Opinderjeet Singh Ghuman said a police team nabbed Major during a patrol on the Panjgrian-Sangrawan road after getting a tip-off.

They have launched a hunt to trace the absconding suspects — Mandeep Singh, Jagdish Singh, Harjinder Singh of Kahnowal village and Gurmeet Singh of Dalam Nangal village, he added.

“Major’s interrogation can lead to the arrest of the remaining accused,” said the SSP.

Dhilwan’s murder had sparked protests by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia.

A special investigation team (SIT) was formed in the case on November 26 under IG (border range) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar.

Initially, a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the the Arms Act was registered against Balwinder, his sons and four unidentified persons.

The police identified the four later.

DHILWAN’S MURDER HAD WITNESSED PROTESTS BY THE SAD, LED BY PARTY CHIEF SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL AND EX-MINISTER BIKRAM MAJITHIA