Key accused in Youth Akali Dal activist’s murder held

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 17

The Bathinda police have arrested Lakhbir Singh, alias Lakha Sidhana, the main accused in the murder of Youth Akali Dal (YAD) activist Gurvir Singh Goldy of Mehraj village. Goldy was killed while filing nominations to the Mehraj Nagar Panchayat elections at the office of the Rampura Phul Sub-Divisional Magistrate on February 13.

Addressing a press conference today, Bathinda IGP Paramraj Umranangal said, “Sidhana was nabbed after a brief encounter with a police party at a check barrier installed at Bhairupa village last evening. Sidhana tried to flee in his Fortuner before he was rounded up. The police have recovered a 32 bore revolver with which he shot Goldy, a 30 bore gun, 315 bore gun, a 12- bore double-barreled gun and an imported 30 bore pistol from his possession”.

Someone from Sidhana’s group had allegedly passed a nasty comment on Goldy when he was emerging from the court complex, which was followed by an exchange of heated words and blows between the two groups leading to Sidhana firing at him.

Sources in the police said Sidhana, who was absconding for the past over a month, had spent a few days in the village of a top office-bearer of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). He was looking for legal assistance for his case before the appropriate court. Sidhana is also learnt to have rested at different rest houses in Chandigarh. Sidhana is learnt to have faced acute financial difficulties after he went underground.

As a candidate of the People’s Party (PPP) of Punjab, Sidhana had contested the last Assembly elections from Rampura Phul and lost. He was wanted in 10 different criminal cases under Sections 302,(murder), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly of the guilty), 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 399 (preparation for dacoity), 307 (attempt to murder), 336 (endangering life or public safety) and 405 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC, besides Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.

Providing case details, SSP Inder Mohan Singh Bhatti said, “As many as 10 out of the total 13 accused in the case have been arrested, including Gursewak Singh, Niranjab Singh, Tarsem Singh, Surinder Singh, Kaur Singh, Gujrant Singh, Chati Singh, Pargat Singh, Satvir Satti and Ranjit Singh, all residents of Mehraj village. Those absconding included Balraj Singh, alias Laden from Mehraj, Chamkaur Singh from Jhuggian and Rana from Sidhana village. The remaining arrests will be carried out soon, Bhatti added. Sidhana is said to have roped in innocent youth into his business or guns. He indulged in mainly fights for possession of land.