Death at oil depot: Rifle recovered from private security guard

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 29

The Government Railway Police (GRP) have recovered a rifle from security guard Gurdeep Singh that was used for allegedly killing Pardeep Singh alias Babbu on October 23.

The GRP today produced Gurdeep in front of Duty Magistrate after the end of his two-day police remand. The duty magistrate sent him to judicial custody.

A clash had taken place between villagers and private security guards on October 23, when some local residents of Phoos Mandi were stealing oil from railway canters at the Bharat Petroleum depot.

When security guards stopped the residents from doing so, they started pelting the former with stones.

One of the guards fired out of fear, which hit Pardeep Singh Babbu.

He died the next day at a private hospital in Bathinda. Later, the GRP arrested Gurdeep on October 25 and the court sent him to two-day police remand, but the police failed to find the rifle used by the accused in this incident.

The court had extended the police remand by two more days, which ended today.

On the other hand, the GRP and Kotfatta police have decided to extend protection to diesel canters of Bharat Petroleum, whenever they arrive.

Inspector General of Police, Bathinda Zone, Mukhwinder Singh Chhinna, has issued orders in this regard after officials of Bharat Petroleum sought protection from the police.

GRP officials have revealed that the main reason behind the theft of diesel was that the accused were addicted to drugs.

Even the panchayat of Phoos Mandi has named three villagers, who were addicted and responsible for the theft.