Russian assault rifle AN-94 used by assassins of Moosewala?
Darpan News Desk IANS, 30 May, 2022 01:11 PM
New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) In the latest development in the murder of singer cum Punjab Congress leader Sidhu Singh Moosewala, the probe agencies have learnt that an AN-94 Russian assault rifle, an Avtomat Nikonova model of 1994, was used in his murder. Earlier, it was said that an AK-47 was used in the killing.
This has also raised questions about how these sophisticated weapons were supplied or are being supplied in Punjab. The neighbouring states which have also formed teams to help the Punjab police in the matter, are also looking at weapon smugglers to ascertain how the sophisticated weapons were brought in.
The probe agencies are also checking whether these weapons were procured through cross border smuggling.
In less than 24 hours after his security was curtailed by the government, Moosewala, 29, was shot dead by gangsters close to his ancestral village in Mansa in broad daylight on Sunday.
He was at the wheel of a Mahindra Thar SUV when the assailants, believed to be 10-12 in number, fired more than 20 rounds at point blank range at the singer and his two friends, who sustained serious injuries. Moosewala was hit by seven-eight bullets.
It is learnt that the AK-47 assault rifle was used in the crime as its bullet shells were recovered from the crime scene.
Goldy Brar, a Canada based gangster and Lawrence Bishnoi have taken the responsibility for the murder.
The killing has sparked a huge political controversy and the Punjab Government is at the receiving end.
The Punjab police is not leaving any stone unturned in its probe in the matter.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that he "personally" feels that alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab had cost the BJP heavily.
India on Tuesday recorded 1,68,063 new Covid cases, taking the total tally to 8,21,446. Although the fresh infections were 6.4 per cent less than Monday when the country logged 1,79,723, the weekly positivity rate has climbed to 8.85 per cent and the daily positivity rate has declined to 10.64 per cent. On the other hand, 4,461 Omicron cases were recorded from 28 states.
Delhi reported a 25 per cent surge in Covid-19 cases after recording 19,166 fresh cases. With this, the infection tally has climbed to 15,68,896. Meanwhile, the city has recorded 17 Covid deaths on the second consecutive day, pushing the death toll to 25,177.
On Monday, after a detailed hearing in the matter, a bench, headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said the court will set up a committee headed by a retired top court judge to probe the PM's security breach and asked both the Centre and Punjab government to not move ahead with their respective inquiries into the matter.
Several Supreme Court advocates on Monday claimed to have received an international call with a recorded message asking the apex court not to help the Central government by taking up a case connected with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach in Punjab last week.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are projected to poll 40 per cent and 36 per cent votes in Punjab, respectively, as per the ABP-CVOTER Battle for the States survey. The 117-member Punjab Assembly will go to the polls on February 14, and the counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.
