Murder case solved with arrest of two

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 17

The police today claimed to have solved a murder case with the arrest of two persons.

Baljeet Singh Khuddu (36) was killed on February 9 night at Malkana village.

The accused — Birbal Singh (22) and Somvir Singh (18) — both Dalits, are also residents of the same village.

Birbal is married and was residing with his wife and a child at the village.

Birbal had a land dispute with Khuddu, who had allegedly encroached on two-three yards along the boundary wall of the house of the accused.

Since Khuddu had recently returned after undergoing life imprisonment in a double murder case, he was bullying Birbal and had refused to give up the encroached land.

Deceased Khuddu had inflicted a head injury on Birbal’s wife in 2015 over the land dispute after which villagers advised Birbal and his family to stay away from Malkana village as Khuddu had already committed double murder in 2005.

Birbal thought that he couldn’t return to his village until Khuddu was eliminated.

Khuddu was adopted by the then sapranch, Amarjeet Kaur, of the village, who was having an illicit relationship with a retired police constable, Balkaran Singh.

Balkaran was bullying Khuddu and used to visit the sarpanch’s house in the presence of Khuddu.

Khuddu then killed his mother and her paramour with a sword in 2005.

SP Gurmeet Singh and investigating officer Gurdev Singh said a complaint about the murder of Khuddu was lodged by Shivraj Singh, brother of the deceased.

Shivraj said unidentified persons called up his brother from Dera Baba Chandi Nath over the pretext of helping him in getting a job in a rice sheller.

Khuddu was unemployed and used to smoke ‘chilam’ at the dera.

Khuddu was called outside by Somvir and was taken to the Maur-Malkana road.

Birbal was already hiding in the dark and attacked Khuddu, who would walk with the help of a stick due to a problem in one leg. Khuddu was repeatedly hit with a rod.

Policemen said both accused involved in the murder were arrested and the rod used in the crime was also recovered from their possession.