SAD leader murder case: Prime suspect arrested

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 27

Days after the murder of SAD leader Jagdish Singh of New Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar, the police have arrested one of the prime suspects in the case, Mandeep Singh Lada. He was produced in the court and brought on police remand for further investigation.

This was the third arrest in the case while many of their accomplices were still out of the reach of the police.

The case

Bhupinder Singh, father of the deceased, said the accused were playing DJ on their rooftop while flying kites on Lohri. They had called their friends also. They were using abusive language and Jagdish Singh had asked them not to do so. They got enraged and Billa challenged Jagdish and other accused attacked him. They shot at him and critically injured him. He was rushed to a hospital where he died.

Lohri festivities had turned tragic after a dispute over playing of DJ at high volume on the occasion of Lohri festival when several persons gunned down Jagdish Singh (30), a SAD leader in the Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar area here.

The police had arrested Balwinder Singh, alias Billa, on January 14, while another suspect Dilbagh Singh, alias Bagha, was held on January 29.

Besides Billa and Dilbagh, the police have booked Billa’s three sons Mandeep Singh, Sukhchain Singh and Amanchain Singh Laddi and around 12 unknown persons in the case. The accused also associated with the SAD, said the police.

Bhupinder Singh, father of the deceased, stated to the police that the accused were playing DJ at their rooftop while flying kites during Lohri festival. They had called their friends also. He said they were also using abusive language during this and Jagdish Singh had asked them not to do so. He said they got enraged and Billa challenged Jagdish and other accused attacked him. They shot and critically injured him. He was rushed to hospital where he died.

Due to the death of municipal councillor Harpreet Singh Goldy of ward number 37 in which the area falls, the byelection in the ward was announced to be held on February 14. Jagdish Singh, however, supported an Independent candidate after he failed to get the ticket from the party. According to the police this became a bone of contention between the accused and the victim which had led to the incident.

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