Sikh priest found dead in Barnala: 4th accused held, weapons seized

LUDHIANA:Two days after the body of a Sikh priest, Baba Ajaib Singh, 55, was recovered from a pit near a cow shelter in Sanghera village, Barnala, on Monday, Jagraon police have solved the case with the arrest of the fourth accused, Harnek Singh, of Barnala.

The victim worked as senior priest at Gurdwara Tahli Sahib, Rattan village, Jagraon, and had recently returned from Canada. Police say the accused killed him for his wealth and the three men arrested on Monday are Baba Bhola Singh of Barnala, Daya Ram of Jammu and Kashmir, Balvir Singh alias Bheera of Barnala

Addressing the media, Ludhiana Rural SSP Varinder Singh Brar said, “Ajaib Singh was killed when he refused to donate money to a cow shelter that Bhola Singh ran in Barnala. The accused believed that he had cash with him, having recently returned from Canada. Harnek had given his licenced revolver to Bhola for executing the murder.” He added that a .32 revolver used in crime, five cartridges and a syringe used to inject pesticides in the veins of the deceased, before shooting him in the head, had been recovered.

“Daya Ram, who had worked as a driver for Ajaib Singh, had now been working with Bhola Singh, the man who ran the cowshed. Ram had taken the victim to Barnala in an Innova SUV on December 4. The matter had come to light when a missing complaint of Ajaib Singh was filed with the Jodhan Police,” the SSP, rural, said. HTC