NRI killed over land dispute in Bathinda

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 6

Rajwinder Kaur, an NRI, was killed when Gurjinder Singh Bahia allegedly opened fire at Surinderpal Singh and his family members at Bhagta Bhaika here on Friday.

The incident followed an alleged land dispute between Gurjinder, who works as Superintendent Engineer in the Irrigation Department at Ferozepur, and Surinderpal Singh.

While Surinderpal’s adopted daughter Rajwinder was killed in the incident three other members of the family, including Surinderpal, sustained injuries.

Rajwinder had returned from Canada last week.

The injured have been admitted to a private hospital while Rajwinder’s body has been sent to civil hospital for postmortem.

After getting the information about the incident, a police team from Dyalpura reached the spot and based on the statement of injured, registered a case against Gurjinder Singh, a resident Ganpati Enclave here.

Accused Gurjinder Singh, however, has not been arrested so far as he also sustained injures in the incident and was undergoing treatment.    

“The initial probe suggests the reason behind the murder is encroachment of land,” said Amanpal Singh Virk, SHO, Dyalpura police station.

Surinderpal Singh alias Kukku in his complaint to the police said that Gurjinder Singh Bahia was the son of his mother’s sister, said police.  

Surinderpal Singh further said their maternal family lived in Thathai Bhaika village in Moga district.

As Surinderpal’s mother did not have any brother, the 60 acre land belonging to his maternal family was divided into three parts, the police added.

Surinderpal said he was the only son of his parents and therefore got 30 acre of the land, while Gurjinder and his brother got 15 acres each, which irked him.   

Surinderpal also said that the accused had called him and they had a heated argument over phone.

I disconnected the phone and later, when he (Gurjinder) called again I did not answer. Irked, Gurjinder reached my house and started fighting with me and when relatives tried to pacify him, he opened fire at them, Surinderpal said in his complaint.

Rajwinder Kaur was killed on the spot, while Surinderpal along with Rupinder Singh and Darshan Singh were injured in the incident, said police. 

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