Prime suspect in Karnal dacoity spent 20 years in jail for murder

All five accused arrested in connection with a daylight dacoity at a wedding house in Subhash Colony here yesterday have been sent to six-day police remand.

Accused Rajiv, alias Raja; Deepak, alias Harry; Prince Kumar, Amrit Pal and Abhishek, all residents of Ludhiana in Punjab, were produced before the court on Tuesday, Inspector Sandeep Singh, incharge, CIA-1 Karnal, said.

He revealed that prime accused Rajiv, alias Raja, had completed 20-year jail term in a murder case and was released last year. The CIA incharge added that Raja is a notorious criminal and history-sheeter, with 56 cases, including murder, dacoity, robbery and Arms Act, registered against him.

“We have taken them on police remand to ascertain the involvement of others as well as to recover the looted cash and jewellery,” he maintained.

The assailants held a marriage family hostage and shot at the groom before fleeing with cash, jewellery and the family’s car. Groom Aditya Pasricha, who had arrived from Australia for his December 4 wedding, is stated to be out of danger.

The assailants were arrested from Zirakpur within a couple of hours following a coordinated chase involving police teams from Karnal, Ambala and Panchkula districts. The suspects were traced with the help of GPS installed in the stolen car, which they later abandoned within the city.

CCTV footage further helped track their movements. Despite a large police deployment in Kurukshetra for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, remaining teams continued the chase, ultimately arresting the suspects from a bus near Zirakpur.