2 brothers shot dead at Jagraon village over gurdwara panel issue

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 27

A rival group shot dead two brothers at Chakkar village near Jagraon in this district on Friday night following a clash over the management committee of the village gurdwara.

Deceased Heera Singh was president of the gurdwara committee and Balvir Singh a head constable in Punjab Police.

According to information, the gurdwara committee had recently elected Heera as its president. The youth club of the village led by Harjit Singh opposed the decision. They alleged that Heera, a ‘patit’ Sikh, had got himself baptised only to become the committee chief. The committee nominated Harjit as a member but he allegedly wanted to be the president.

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On Friday, Heera, along with his family and a few villagers, was performing sewa on the gurdwara premises around 8.30 pm when youth club members led by Harjit arrived there. They asked Heera to provide audit details of the gurdwara’s income. This led to a heated argument which turned into a clash in which swords were allegedly used.

The youth club members allegedly fired several gun shots in which Heera and brother Balvir were killed on the spot while four others, including a member of the youth club, were injured. The attackers fled the spot.

The Jagraon police have rounded up a man in the case.

Chakar village is about 10 km from Jagraon on the Jagraon-Raikot road and is known for sportspersons and the development work done by NRIs and Baba Seechewal.