All 3 sarpanch killers dreaded criminals

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 10

The three assailants, who were caught on a video while shooting the sarpanch of Khurd village, Hoshiarpur district, outside a gurdwara in Sector 38 (West), are notorious gangsters who allegedly gunned downed a 48-year-old man by entering his house at Bahman Majra village in the Nurpur Bedi area in Ropar district on April 7. They had also allegedly murdered a gangster in November 2016.

The accused have several cases registered against them in Punjab and other states. This is the third murder by the assailants in five months.

Sources said the three accused, who were caught on a mobile phone while shooting the sarpanch, Satnam Singh, yesterday, had been identified as Dilpreet Singh Baba, Harjinder Singh, alias Akash, and Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda. All three, along with an accomplice, had gunned downed Des Raj Singh, alias Mal, after entering his house in Bahman Majra village in Nurpur Bedi.

The three accused had also murdered a gangster, Vivek Sharma, near Bharatgarh in Ropar district on November 11. Vivek was a resident of Tibba Taparian village near Nurpur Bedi. Rinda, one of the accused, who shot dead the sarpanch, was also involved in opening fire at SOI leader Manpreet Aulakh on the PU campus in 2016. The Chandigarh Police had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on Rinda and his accomplices.

Aulakh was shot at on his thigh. Rinda, along with others, had also assaulted officials at Central Jail, Patiala, in January 2014 while he was lodged in the jail. Rinda was shifted to the Patiala jail from Sangrur after he assaulted the jail superintendent in November 2013. 

Several cases against them 

Despite several cases registered against Dilpreet Singh Baba, Harjinder Singh, alias Akash, and Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, in Punjab, the state police have failed to arrest the accused. 

Raids conducted to nab accused

Though the UT police conducted raids in various parts of Punjab, the accused are still at large. The police has added the names of Dilpreet Singh Baba, Harjinder Singh, alias Akash, and Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, in the FIR. The victim’s autopsy was conducted at the PGI on Monday and the body handed over to the family. 

Police suspect contract killing 

The police suspect the sarpanch’s murder is a case of contract killing. Sources said the gangsters also had links with the Vicky Gounder gang. Harjinder Singh Bhullar, alias Vicky Gounder, had recently escaped from the Nabha jail.

Involved in carjacking too 

The police said the white i20 car that was used by the assailants to flee from the spot was forcibly taken away from its occupants near Ropar a few days ago. The registration number of the car was found to be fake.