ASSAULT ON HINDU LEADER: BHIKHARIWAL’S QUIZZING YIELDS NOTHING

GURDASPUR : The Punjab Police is still unclear about the motive behind the attack on a Hindu outfit leader in Gurdaspur even after five-day long questioning of the prime accused, gangster Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal, who was brought on transit remand from Delhi.

On Wednesday, a Gurdaspur court sent Bhikhariwal, who is also the prime accused in the killing of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu in Bhikhiwind, in judicial custody after his five-day police remand was ended. Gurdaspur police said they will send Bhikhariwal back to Delhi on Thursday as his presence was “necessary”.

Shivsena Hindustan youth wing president Honey Mahajan, 29, had received three bullet injuries while his friend Ashok Kumar, 25, was killed in the attack outside their shops.

Police had claimed terror funding from abroad for the attempt to murder Honey Mahajan. A Punjab Police commando posted in Amritsar, Prince, was among those arrested in the case. Police had claimed that Prince had provided 20 live 7.6mm rounds to one Simranjit from Batala.

In April, Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta had claimed, “The investigation so far has revealed that the contract for the attack on Honey Mahajan was awarded by notorious gangster Sukhmeet Pal Singh alias Sukh Bhikhariwal. Sukhmeet Pal wanted to control the liquor business in Dhariwal area.” Bhikhariwal had been absconding and victim Honey Mahajan kept claiming that he had never been into liquor business, and that terrorists had attacked him. “It is being said that it was an issue of liquor, but that too is unclear,” said (SP-investigation) Harvinder Singh, who questioned Bhikhariwal.

A PUNJAB POLICE COMMANDO POSTED IN AMRITSAR WAS AMONG THOSE ARRESTED