Gangster’s ‘aide’ cremated amid security in Muktsar

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Thandewala (Muktsar), May 27

Twenty-four-year-old Muktsar resident Ajmer Singh alias Jimmy Sidhu, who was killed in a police encounter near Dabri Khana village on Kotkapura-Bathinda road in Faridkot district on Wednesday, was cremated under tight security at Thandewala village here today.

A large number of youngsters were present at the cremation.

Taking precautionary measures, police personnel, including SP (D) Muktsar Baljit Sidhu, DSP Muktsar Harmeek Deol, two SHOs from Muktsar and a SHO from Faridkot district and some policewomen, had been deployed.

The body was directly brought to the village cremation ground after conducting the post-mortem examination at Faridkot.

Two SAD leaders, Muktsar MC chief Harpal Singh Bedi and councillor Gurmeet Singh ‘Jeeta’, were also present.

Meanwhile, gangster Ranjeet Singh alias Rana Sidhu, elder brother of the deceased who is also an accused in a case registered by the Faridkot police yesterday under Sections 307, 353, 186 and 34 of the IPC, said that he was now managing 13 liquor vends of Sarainaga unit in Muktsar district, in which SAD councillor from Muktsar Gurmeet Singh ‘Jeeta’ was a partner. Notably, Jeeta was sitting next to him.

Rana said, “Though I am presently facing five criminal cases and acquitted in a similar number of cases, my brother Jimmy was not involved in any illegal activity. The police mistook him as gangster Davinder Bambiha and the person accompanying him as Gurbaksh Sewewala. Jimmy was shot dead while the person accompanying him managed to flee.”

Rana said, “Jimmy called me on that ill-fated night saying that a police party was chasing him. I, along with four others, immediately rushed to Jeeda and also spoke to a policeman posted at CIA Bathinda who was chasing my brother. However, by the time I reached there, he had apparently died due to bullet injury. The police party of Bathinda was present there and they even regretted their act. They told us to take him to the hospital first. Thereafter, the police detained us from civil hospital, Bathinda, and released us today after thorough investigation.”

He accused Dhammi, a liquor contractor of Bathinda district, for the killing of his brother.

4 associates released, kin agree to autopsy 

Faridkot: A day after the killing of Ajmer Singh, the Faridkot police on Friday was successful in prevailing upon the family of the deceased to agree to the post-mortem examination and cremation. The family members reportedly came around after the police released all four associates of the deceased. These four youths were rounded up by the Bathinda police on the charge of firing at a police party on the intervening night of May 25-26 at civil hospital, Bathinda. Among the four youths released, two are facing many criminal cases at various police stations in the area. — TNS

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