Search op ends, but no trace of suspects : The Tribune India

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Pastor’s murder

Search op ends, but no trace of suspects

The search operation launched by the Ludhiana Commissionerate to trace suspects, who shot dead pastor Sultan Masih outside the Temple of God church, remained on till last night.

Search op ends, but no trace of suspects

Cops during a search op at Jagirpur village. Tribune file photo



Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana July 23

The search operation launched by the Ludhiana Commissionerate to trace suspects, who shot dead pastor Sultan Masih outside the Temple of God church, remained on till last night. However, the police have not been able to zero in on the possible hideouts of the assailants.

ADCP-IV Jasdev Singh said the operation ended around 8: 30 pm and over a dozen villages were combed, but there was no trace of suspects. The police sources said 87 villages were earmarked for search on the basis of the tip-off received about the last location of the suspects. The police are likely to swoop down on villages anytime in the coming days.

Cops’ casual approach comes to fore

During the visit to villages, it was observed that the police showed a causal approach while conducting raids at some places. Instead of swooping down at houses in one go, the cops showed a different approach. Despite the senior police officials claiming that it was a surprise raid as the hideouts of the suspects were traced in these villages, a casual approach of cops was noticed at some places. Instead of conducting a ‘thorough search’ or combing houses, cops were seen doing clerical work such as jotting down the details of family members among other things.

No search at big bungalows

Interestingly, even isolated houses in the outskirts of the villages or big bungalows were not touched by the raiding party. As the police party moved to Khwajke Colony, an inspector kept sitting in an air-conditioned car enjoying cold drinks. Later, he asked cops to go and search houses and himself kept sitting in the air-conditioned car.

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