BATALA: CONG SARPANCH’S SON SHOT DEAD

OLD ENMITY Victim had deposed against accused in a 2015 murder case

BATALA: Jasbir Singh, 35, the history-sheeter son of Congressbacked sarpanch of Harpura panchayat Sukhwinder Kaur, was shot dead at Harpura village in Batala tehsil on Monday. Jasbir reportedly was a supporter of Congress MLA from Sri Hargobindpur Sahib Balwinder Singh Laddi. Jasbir’s wife is a block samiti member.

Batala SSP Opinderjeet Singh Ghuman said that Jasbir had an old enmity with accused Harjinder Singh Raja of the village.

Raja is a murder convict and was out on bail. Jasbir, too, had more than six cases pending against him, including that of attempt to murder.

The SSP said Raja had killed one Mandeep Singh alias Monu of the same village in 2015 and

Jasbir Singh had given statement against him in the court.

Raja fired more than six bullets at Jasbir, who died on the spot. Police said Jasbir was going to his fields when Raja confronted him and opened fire after an argument.

Jasbir was rushed to the civil hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Raja has been booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Arms Act. He is absconding.

This is the third murder in Majha region in two months wherein the victim had some political affiliation.

On November 19, 2019, a twotime former Akali sarpanch and vice-president of district SAD committee, Dalbir Singh Dhilwan, was shot dead in Gurdaspur district.

On January 2, the husband of a SAD sarpanch from Umarpura village in Majithia constituency of Amritsar district was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne youngsters.

Gurdeep Singh, a former sarpanch, whose wife Gurjit Kaur is Umarpura’s present sarpanch, was shot dead. In both cases, the main accused are absconding.

THIS IS THE THIRD MURDER IN MAJHA REGION IN TWO MONTHS WHEREIN THE VICTIM HAD A POLITICAL AFFILIATION