Group attacks house, fire at ‘witness’ over court testimony

Tanda Urmar, March 13

Angered by a person giving testimony against him in a legal case, a litigant forcibly entered the house of one Bakshish Singh in Rani Pind village and attempted to kill him.

The incident took place at around 6.30 pm on March 11, and a case has been registered against the suspects — Mandeep Singh, Surjit Singh and Amrik Singh — based on a statement by Jaswinder Singh, the son of Bakshish Singh.

The attackers slapped my wife, Sarabjit Kaur, vandalised the house and vehicles, and tried to set fire to the pipe of the gas cylinder in the kitchen with the intention of killing her. By this time, the neighbours had started gathering, which caused the suspects to flee after snatching our jewellery, cash and mobile phones. Jaswinder Singh, victim

The other persons named in the FIR are Dalveer Singh, son of Channan Singh; Gurnek Singh, alias Harnek Singh, son of Harmitar Singh of Rani Pind village and brother-in-law of Mandeep Singh of Bhatnura Lubana. Up to 20 unidentified people have also been booked.

In his complaint, Jaswinder said his son Maninder Singh had got married on March 10. On the evening of March 11, when all the family members and relatives were together, counting the ‘shagun’ gifts, the suspects, armed with a double barrel gun, a revolver, sticks and sharp weapons, attacked his house.

Jaswinder added that before coming in, the attackers threw bricks at the house.

Jaswinder said the suspects broke the gate, entered the house and attacked him and his son Maninder Singh with sharp weapons, injuring them. He said Gurnek Singh fired at him with his revolver, but he was fortunate that the bullet passed over his head. He said, “The suspects slapped my wife, Sarabjit Kaur, vandalised the house and vehicles, and tried to set fire to the gas cylinder pipe in the kitchen, with the intention of killing her. By this time, the neighbours had started gathering, and this caused the suspects to flee after snatching our mobile phones, cash and jewellery.”

Jaswinder and his son were admitted to a hospital. Jaswinder Singh told the police that he had testified against suspect Mandeep Singh and two members of his family in an attempt to murder case, registered on the basis of the statement of one Ratan Singh. He said this was the reason Mandeep and his associates attacked his house.

The police have registered a case under charges of attempt murder, theft, and various sections of the Arms Act.