Brutal murders, extortion cases, gangsters kept cops on the toes

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, December 16

The Timmy Chawla-constable Mandeep Singh extortion and murder case cast its shadow on the district and its precincts in year 2023.

Man murdered parents, brother

One of the most shocking incidents that rocked the district this year was the triple murder in which a bank security guard killed his parents and a brother over property dispute. The suspect, Harpreet Singh, who was arrested on October 20 for murdering his father Jagbir Singh (52), mother Amritpal Kaur (50) and his elder brother Gagandeep Singh (32), used two weapons to kill his family. He also planned to set his house on fire to destroy all evidence.

Dhillon brothers’ suicide rocked district

The Dhillon brothers’ suicide case also rocked the district. Though the incident was reported in Kapurthala, it had massive bearing on Jalandhar as the family hailed from the district. The case raked up a huge political storm this year, with law and order taking centre stage as one of the key issues being raised across the Opposition.

The year was marked by several gruesome crimes and various triumphs as well. A number of brutal murders and extortion cases shocked the district. The year also saw record drug seizures and arrests of gangsters.

The police had to launch a month-long operation to nab self-styled Sikh preacher and Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh. His escape from Jalandhar and Doaba prompted a month-long operation by the Punjab Police, which ended at Moga. Tensions rising amidst the massive manhunt also prompted the suspension of Internet services in the state for a few days.

The Dhillon brothers’ suicide case also rocked the district. Though the incident was reported in Kapurthala, it had massive bearing on Jalandhar as the family hailed from the district. The case raked up a huge political storm this year, with law and order taking centre stage as one of the key issues being raised across the Opposition.

Meanwhile, one of the notable triumphs of the Jalandhar Rural police this year was the arrest of gangster Malkiat Kali. The drug trafficker, a resident of Tendiwala village in Ferozepur, was involved in cross-border drug smuggling and was arrested with 9-kg heroin, leading to one of the most massive hauls of heroin. As per the police, Kali had allegedly sent three swimmers to fetch 50-kg heroin from Pakistan via the Sutlej and was in touch with a Pakistan-based smuggler. His arrest and those of his associates led to the seizure of 43.5-kg heroin in this case alone.

The case led to accolades and honours for 17 cops - eight from Sadar Nakodar and 9 from Goraya.

Days later, two of the honoured cops were later reportedly “caught” by the BSF with heroin hidden in the bonnet of one of their private cars, in a viral video, from the Tendiwal village in Ferozepur. However, the Jalandhar police were quick to issue clarification that the entire fiasco was a misunderstanding which occurred during an operation to retrieve heroin from the trafficker’s village and the cops hid the heroin to escape irate villagers chasing them. The cops received a clean chit.

The Jalandhar police also arrested gangsters Jassa Happowala, Pancham Noor Singh, Himanshu Mata and various associates of high-profile gangsters wanted in murder, Arms Act and NDPS Act cases.

After Timmy Chawla murder, several cases of extortion calls were reported from the district. Various industrialists, politicians and traders claimed to have received extortion calls.

On March 23, the Jalandhar police declared the arrest of seven members of the Amandeep Purewal or Aman Malri Gang for extorting Rs 25 lakh from a Nakodar businessman. The gang and its US-based mastermind were the same which carried out the murder of Nakodar bizman Timmy Chawla and constable Mandeep Singh.

The murder of anti-drug Nasha Virodhi Front activist Ram Gopal, hailing from Lakhanpal village, prompted a protest on the Jandiala-Phagwara road.

One of the most shocking incidents that rocked the district this year was the triple murder in which a bank security guard killed his parents and a brother over property dispute. The suspect, Harpreet Singh, who was arrested on October 20 for murdering his father Jagbir Singh (52), mother Amritpal Kaur (50) and his elder brother Gagandeep Singh (32), used two weapons to kill his family. He also planned to set his house on fire to destroy all evidence.

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