Kidnapped last month, Gujjar leader was murdered same day

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 30

Laddi Gujjar, a resident of Chawan village in Gurdaspur, who was kidnapped on May 19, has been murdered, the police said on Saturday. The rural police have arrested six persons in this connection. The accused, after murdering him, chopped his body into pieces and threw it into a canal. Laddi was a local leader of the Gujjar community.

He was kidnapped from Khujala village that falls under under the Tarsikka police station. The accused have been identified as Sharif Mohammad of Dhianpur, Yaqoob Khan of Ghamet village in Ludhiana, Zahoora of Bhaini Ram Dayal village, Janait Ali of Nameen Karal, Gurdaspur, Yaqoob Ali of Sheikhpata and Baga Hussain of Kotli Sainiwal in Gurdaspur besides an unknown man.

The police have also booked Sharif Mohammad’s father Nawabdeen and Shahi, a friend of Laddi Gujjar, in the case. Sections 302 (murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC have been added to the case.

SSP Parampal Singh, at a press conference here, said one of the Nawabdeen’s sons had died in jail following which Laddi eloped with his daughter-in-law and married her. This didn’t go down well with him. Earlier too, there had been murderous attacks on Laddi.

On May 19, Laddi along with his friend Shahi was returning from Khajala after meeting his relatives when his cousin phoned him and heard voices of quarrel and attack on Laddi. He immediately alerted his family and the police were informed about it. Family members suspected the role of Nawabdeen and his accomplices in the kidnapping.

The SSP said that during probe, the police found his vehicle with blood stains following which a manhunt was launched to nab the suspects. During interrogation, the accused admitted that they had killed Laddi Gujjar same day and buried his body. After some time, they dug out the body once again, chopped it and threw it into a canal.

Raids are on to nab Nawabdeen and his accomplices, the SSP added.