Rs 50,000 award announced for info on Karnal firing accused

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, December 9

A day after the firing incident that claimed three lives and left two persons injured here, the police are yet to arrest the accused. However, the police have announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information about the main accused, Kaptan Singh, a resident of Rangrutikhera.

As per the police record, the two accused — Kaptan and Surjeet, alias Bittu, a resident of Ballah village — had a criminal history. “Surjeet was out of Tihar Jail on parole since December 6 and has six cases registered against him,” said Mohan Lal, SHO, City.

He added that a reward of Rs 50,000 has been announced for information about Kaptan Singh, the main accused in the firing incident. As per the police record, Kaptan was awarded six-year jail term in a case of attempt to murder registered at the Assandh police station and three-year jail in a case of murder registered at the Rohtak police station. He was acquitted in three cases, said the police. The police booked Kaptan and Surjeet, along with seven-eight others, in the firing incident that took place near Brahmanand Chowk yesterday.

In the incident, Naresh (40), a native of Bhambarehri village and Shiv Colony resident, Rajesh (35) of Jani village and Gulab (45) of Bastali village were killed while Chand (50) and Manoj (35) of Bastali village sustained injuries.

Naresh was a gym owner. He was blessed with a baby girl around seven days ago, his relatives said. Rajesh and Gulab were liquor traders. Gulab was also a national kabbadi player.

The SHO said the bodies were cremated after post-mortem examination. Five teams were out to trace the accused, he added.

The triple murder gave rise to tense situation at the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College Hospital on Thursday as victims’ family members, relatives and friends gathered there and were adamant against getting the post-mortem examination of the bodies conducted till the accused were arrested. They relented after an assurance by SP Pankaj Nain.

A board of doctors conducted the post-mortem even after the sunset. Autopsy is usually not conducted after sunset. The KCGMCH authorities said the police got the doctors ready for the post-mortem citing law and order reasons.