Personal enmity suspected behind Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh’s killing

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 25

Even several days after Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh was gunned down by armed assailants on his school premises in Bhikhiwind, Tarn Taran, the police are yet to make any breakthrough in the case.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had constituted a special investigating team headed by DIG HS Mann to probe the killing. The family had claimed it was a terror attack as they were on the hit list of various Sikh militant organisations for fending off attacks during the heyday of terrorism in Punjab.

However, sources in the Tarn Taran police said the investigations so far did not support their claims. They added the possibility hadn’t been ruled out by the police at this juncture.

“We have not ruled out the possibility of a ‘terror’ attack on Balwinder, though there is no credible information or evidence to support the claims so far,” said SSP Dhruman Nimbale, adding that further investigations were on to identify the armed assailants.

The sources said the probe had hinted towards personal enmity as the motive behind the killing. Balwinder’s son Arshdeep Singh was among the 10 youths arrested by the Patti police on July 3 for possessing arms.

The police claimed Balwinder’s security was withdrawn after he allegedly attacked a block development officer in 2013.

Balwinder, his wife Jagdish Kaur, his elder brother Ranjit and his wife Balraj Kaur had received the Shaurya Chakra in 1993 for valour while fighting terrorism.

Balwinder’s wife had claimed her husband was on the hit list of terrorists, but even after repeated requests, the police failed to restore their security.

Intel lapse led to murder: Bitta

Anti-Terrorist Front (ATF) president Maninderjit Singh Bitta has expressed concern that even after 10 days of the murder of Balwinder Singh, no breakthrough had been made in the case. Bitta visited the family at Bhikhiwind on Sunday to express his sympathy. He said there was a crucial lapse on part of the intelligence agencies, both of the state and Centre, and that the ball was in the court of the police now. “Let us wait for the SIT report,” he said

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.