Encounter fake, allege kin

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 27

Slain gangster Vicky Gounder’s family at Sarawan Bodla village here alleged that the encounter was fake as the police had already arrested Gounder and his aides on Thursday.

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Gounder’s uncle (taya) Gurdev Singh, Harjit Singh and others present at their residence claimed that the police had concocted the encounter. “It was not an encounter. The cops had nabbed Gounder and others a day in advance, but killed them the next day,” they claimed. However, when asked if they had any proof to substantiate their claim, they were silent.

The body of Gounder reached his village, located on the Malout-Abohar national highway, late this evening.

As we entered the village, some persons were standing outside their houses and watching every vehicle entering or leaving the village. Besides, a large number of cops in groups of 5-10 were deployed in every nook and corner.

At his house on the outskirts of the village, Gurdev Singh said: “On the advice of one of his teachers, we had sent him to the Sports Academy, Jalandhar, to become a sportsperson. But he turned into a gangster. Though he committed some serious crimes in the recent past, he never indulged in drug peddling or atrocities against women. He was very fond of milk and would drink over 2 litres in one go. All others who had gone with him to Jalandhar are now well-settled.”

The aged man said: “We had disowned him long ago fearing police action. His parents never went to meet him in jail or court. He had promised us to mend his ways when he was in Nabha jail. But the news of his escape shocked us. Since then, he had never met us. We always feared that he would be killed by the police.”

The family is worried about the future of Gounder’s younger sister, who is 22 and unmarried. His father Mehal Singh was once booked for brewing illicit liquor at home. His family claimed that they didn’t even have his photograph as the police seized all. They also claimed themselves to be SAD supporters.

Gounder’s mother Jaswinder Kaur was unable to speak. His father Mehal Singh along with some other residents of the village had gone to Sriganagangar to bring the body to the village.

Some villagers said a public announcement was made from the village gurdwara, appealing residents to accompany the family to go to Rajasthan to claim the body.

The family members also alleged that the police were pressuring them to perform the last rites on Saturday, but they want to do so on Sunday.

They used school van to avoid suspicion?

Chandigarh: The police are investigating if Gounder and his aides were driving around in a school van to avoid suspicion. A school van was found parked outside the house where they were reportedly hiding. Sources said it could be possible that the gangsters were using the vehicle to go around or they had hid in it as a school van was least likely to be checked at nakas. Police sources told The Tribune that only the owner of the house could reveal the alleged misuse of the school van, but he was yet to be arrested. AIG Intelligence Gurmeet Chauhan said details of use of vehicles or other hideouts might come up during further investigation. Chauhan said they had information that Gounder was frequenting this house near the Indo-Pak border. "We had specific information that he was hiding there for the last two days at least," he said. TNS

2 hurt cops shifted to Faridkot hospital

Faridkot: Two injured officials of the Counter-Intelligence Wing of the Punjab Police Sub-Inspector Balwinder Singh and ASI Kirpal Singh were admitted to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital here at around 12.30 am on Saturday. They had sustained bullet injuries in the encounter with notorious gangster Vicky Gounder and his accomplice Prema Lahoriya on the Punjab-Rajasthan border on Friday evening. Both police officials got multiple injuries on their arms and legs after the gangsters fired over a dozen rounds at the police during the encounter. Dr Nanak Singh, SSP, Faridkot, visited the officials in the hospital. Their condition was stable and both were out of danger, said the SSP, quoting the doctors. TNS