Cops: No foul play in ex-sarpanch’s death

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 18

Though the police have recovered two bullets from the body of a former sarpanch of Kartarpur village, Harnek Singh (52), who was found dead in a Fortuner near Parol village in the Mullanpur area three days ago, they have ruled out any foul play in the case.

Talking to Chandigarh Tribune, Mohali SP (Detective) Harbir Singh Atwal said there was no foul play in the incident.

He said one bullet had been recovered from his stomach as it had ricocheted after hitting the ribs, while he had fired the other bullet in his temple.

Corroborating his claim, the SP said the Fortuner vehicle in which his body was found was locked from inside. “The engine was on and the vehicle was locked from inside when the police reached the spot. Our team found no fingerprints or any suspicious material from the spot. His wife has also claimed that he was under stress,” said Atwal. 

The body of Harnek Singh, a property dealer, was found in his Fortuner near Parol village in the Mullanpur area three days ago. The police claimed it was a suicide and the victim had shot himself twice with his licensed .30 bore revolver. A passerby had spotted the body in the vehicle and its lights were on.  

On a complaint of the victim’s wife, Parmajit Kaur, the police have booked five persons — Iqbal Singh Sandhu, Bant Singh and his two sons Harnek Singh and Bahadur, and Harmeet Singh — on charges of abetment to suicide at the Mullanpur police station.

In her complaint, Paramjit Kaur alleged that her husband had given Rs 20 lakh to Sandhu to buy land from Bant Singh. The accused were now not repaying the amount and were threatening her husband that they would implicate him in a false case.    

A case under Sections 506, 306 and 120 B of the IPC has been registered against the accused in this regard.

No arrest had been made so far, said the SHO, Inspector Bikramjit Singh. 

Unanswered questions 

• According to the police, the victim first shot himself in the chest and then in his temple. 
• Can a person shoot himself a second time after firing a shot in his chest? 
• Why didn’t the victim shoot himself in his temple in the first attempt? 
• Why was the ignition on when he committed suicide?