Out on parole, man ‘kills’ Varpal resident

Tribune News Service 

Amritsar, November 21

A man identified as Balkar Singh, a resident of Varpal, was found murdered near his residence on Thursday. The police have booked Shamsher Singh alias Shera of the same village on a murder charge. Shera already has several criminal cases against him. He was currently out on parole. 

Family members of the deceased told the police that on Wednesday evening, Balkar Singh had gone with Shamsher Singh but he did not return in the night. On Thursday morning, they got information that his body was found around half a kilometre from their residence. 

Kulwinder Kaur, sister of the deceased, told the police that Balkar Singh (47), along with his son Amritpal Singh (17), used to work as a farmer in the village while his wife and daughter lived with her parents in Tarn Taran area. She said Shamsher Singh and Sita Ram took his brother out on Wednesday for some work. But, he did not return. Though, they tried to find him but they could not. On Thursday, they were informed about his body lying near a gurdwara. The deceased had over two dozen sharp-weapon injury marks on his body. His face was beyond recognition, said the police.

Amritsar (rural) SSP Vikramjit Duggal said Shera had around five criminal cases against him. The police have booked him in the case on the basis of clues. However, he added that family members had given names of some other persons too and the police were ascertaining their roles. 

Duggal said an initial probe indicated that Balkar Singh might have been murdered during some verbal duel while consuming liquor and that it did not appear like a planned murder. However, further investigation was still in progress. A case has been registered at the Chatiwind police station in this regard.