Punjab Police arrest sixth shooter in targeted killing case
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Nov, 2022 11:26 AM
Chandigarh, Nov 20 (IANS) Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on Sunday arrested the sixth shooter involved in the targeted killing of shopkeeper Pardeep Singh after a brief encounter in Jaipur, officials said.
In a conspiracy hatched by the Canada-based terrorist Goldy Brar, Pardeep Singh was killed by six shooters outside his shop in Kotkapura on November 10.
Director General of Police Punjab Gaurav Yadav identified the arrested accused as Ramjan Khan, alias Raj Hooda. He said police teams have also arrested his two accomplices -- Happy Mehla (19) and Sahil Mehla (18), both resident of Hanumangarh in Rajasthan.
The police have also recovered two pistols, including a Chinese-made Star .30 caliber and .32 caliber, from their possession, he added.
The development came three days after Punjab Police had arrested three persons -- Manpreet Singh, alias Mani, Bhupinder Singh, alias Goldy, and Baljit Singh involved in the targeted killing.
DGP Yadav said acting on intelligence, teams from AGTF headed by ADGP Pramod Ban under the supervision of AIG Sandeep Goel followed the trail of the accused Khan.
After collecting vital clues, the police teams of AGTF led by DSP Bikram Brar and DSP Rajan Parminder managed to trace his location in a building at Vinayak Enclave Colony in Jaipur, where he was holed up with his two accomplices in a rented accommodation.
The DGP said in a well-coordinated operation with central agencies & Rajasthan Police, the AGTF team has managed to zero in Khan at his rented accommodation.
"When police teams tried to arrest Ramjan, he opened fire at the police party and in retaliatory firing, he got injured," said the DGP, adding the accused has been admitted to a hospital in Jaipur.
The farmers have been on agitation since August 20 by blocking the Delhi-Amritsar national highway near Jalandhar, along with the rail tracks, over their demand for raising the SAP of sugarcane. They have already rejected the hike of Rs 15 per quintal announced by the government last week.
Indian defence forces have employed the best equipment available in the country to locate the wreckage, which includes remotely operated underwater vehicles, handheld navigation system with sonar, side scanner sonar with echo sensor and portable transducer, divers propulsion vehicle, multi-beam sonar and submarine rescue unit of the India Navy, an official statement said.
The convicts are Shaik Showkath, 35, Mohd Khalid, 22, Mohd Afroz, 20, Abdul Salman Khan, 20, Shaik Salman, 22, and Mujahid Khan, 20. They are all residents of New Hafeezpet, Serilingampally Mandal, Ranga Reddy district.
A Northern Railway spokesperson said that due to farmers agitation in Ferozpur division of Punjab, it has cancelled 68 train including two Vande Bharat and Rajdhani each, four Shatabdi Express, one Duranto, and two Janshatabdi Express trains.
According to police, the robbers, coming out of the Amruth Gold and Silver shop after the crime, saw Chandru approach and opened fire at him, fearing he may try to apprehend them or alert the public. One of the bullets hit Chandru on the head and he died on the spot.
The Vigilance Bureau arrested Saini, who retired in June 2018, for cheating, forgery and other offences under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act on Wednesday.
