Moga ‘tantrik’ lived under fake identity

MOGA: The 80-year-old ‘tantrik’ who had allegedly killed himself after killing five Dalits at Kotla Mehar Singh Wala village near here recently, lived at the gurdwara under a fake identity.

He has been identified as one Bikkar Singh who had left his native village in Ludhiana district about 15 years ago. On searching his room in the gurdwara the police found some aphrodisiacs.

The investigation found that the real name of Harinderpal Singh Sodhi was Bikkar Singh and he was a native of Sekha village under Malaud sub-division of Ludhiana.

The police approached his family at Sekha village on Saturday evening. The family and the panchayat confirmed that Bikkar had disappeared from the village about 15 years ago and did not return.

SSP Jatinder Singh Khaira said Mukhtiar Kaur, wife of Bikkar Singh, sarpanch Kamaldeep Singh, nambardar Gurdas Singh and panch Jagjit Singh had identified him as Bikkar Singh.

“However, the investigation is underway. The post-mortem on the body will be conducted at the Moga civil hospital on Sunday and then it will be handed over to the family,” Khaira said.

Meanwhile, Baldev Singh, brother of deceased Sandeep Kaur, and Gurpreet Singh, father of Rajpal Kaur, said the sharpedged weapon used for murders belonged to the priest.