Assailant did recce twice

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Mohali, March 30 

Balwinder Singh, the accused in the murder of 36-year-old Neha Shoree, had made at least two rounds of the victim’s office before giving a shape to his nefarious design.

A tea vendor, who runs a shop in front of the Neha’s office building in Kharar, identified Balwinder Singh after seeing his photographs. She told the police that she saw him visiting the place twice before the incident.

Inspector Bhagwant Singh, SHO, Kharar police station, said the murderer conducted the recce in recent past after purchasing a .32 bore pistol from Verma Gun House at Ropar on March 12. 

The police said it was the arms dealer’s responsibility to provide sale details to the police at the earliest, but before it could be done, the accused took a life. 

“The accused was issued arms licence a day before he purchased the weapon used in the crime,” said the SHO. The firearm was purchased for Rs 92,000, added Inspector Bhagwant Singh. He added that after the victim had cancelled his drug licence around 10 years ago, Balwinder Singh never sought its renewal. His licence was cancelled as Neha, who was a drug inspector then, had recovered at least 36 banned drugs from his medical store, which the accused had been running in Morinda then. The accused nursed the grudge against Neha, which proved fatal for her. The cop said the assailant could be termed as psychotic and depressed.

Balwinder Singh was working as an attendant at a private hospital at Kurali. 

Meanwhile, the police are checking the call details of both the victim and the accused’s mobile phones.

Morinda-resident Balwinder Singh is survived by two daughters and a son. His eldest daughter is pursuing MBBS in Ukraine while his son runs a video game parlour in Morinda. His anotehr daughter, who is the youngest in the family, studies in Class XII.

Arms licence issued in poll code violation?

While questions are being raised over the accused getting an arms licence on March 11, a day after the model code of conduct came into force, Ropar DC Sumeet Jarangal clarified that the due date by which the licence was to be delivered to the recipient was March 6. “The entire system is computerised and we have to adhere to the stipulated timeframe. The poll code does not debar provision of services. We had delivered the licence to Balwinder on March 8, but because of the weekend the relevant information was entered into the computer system on March 11,” he said.

It was a planned killing: Police

• Neha Shoree was posted as the in-charge of the zonal drug licensing authority in Kharar. 
• The police said the murder was planned well in advance. Initially, Balwinder Singh did not seem to have any intention of killing himself. However, he did so after he realised he could not escape from the spot, the police said.
• Balwinder entered Neha’s office around 11.40 am on Friday and shot her at point-blank range. He rushed out of the building, but was chased and intercepted by the staff. He tried to escape on his motorctycle parked outside Neha’s office, but was surrounded by the staff and passersby. He brandished his revolver and threatened to kill those stopping him. In the melee, he shot himself in the chest and head. He died on the spot, the police said.