Police solve kidnapping, murder case within 24 hours

In a swift and coordinated operation, the Punjab Police have cracked a sensitive kidnapping and murder case within 24 hours, leading to the arrest of seven accused and recovery of two vehicles used in the crime. The breakthrough came after body of an unidentified man was found on May 14 near bushes alongside road close to Majha Petrol Pump at Fattudhinga village in Kapurthala district.

While giving details here today, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora said Inspector Sonamdeep Kaur, Station House Officer (SHO), Fattudhinga police station, received a tip-off about an unidentified body. Upon reaching the spot, the police took possession of the unclaimed body and sent it to the mortuary of the Kapurthala Civil Hospital for identification. During investigation, the police matched body’s description with missing person records and identified the deceased as Sodhi Singh, son of Gurnam Singh, a resident of Sarhali Kalan village in Tarn Taran district. The identity of the deceased was confirmed by his brother Jagraj Singh.

Following identification, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Jagmohan Singh, a resident of Bhulath village in Kapurthala district, along with several unidentified individuals.

The SSP said special an investigation team was formed under the supervision of SP (Detective) Prabhjot Singh Virk and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Gurmeet Singh. The investigative team comprised DSP Parminder Singh, Detective, Kapurthala, Inspector Jarnail Singh, CIA, Kapurthala, Inspector Sonamdeep Kaur, SHO Fattudhinga police station, and Inspector Arjan Singh.

Through detailed analysis of the CCTV footage, technical surveillance and human intelligence, the police managed to trace and arrest the main accused, Jagmohan Singh, within 12 hours of launching the investigation. During interrogation, Jagmohan confessed to harbouring a personal grudge against the victim. He allegedly discussed the matter with his brother-in-law Gurnek Singh, a resident of Katarian village in SBS Nagar district. On May 9, Gurnek visited Jagmohan’s home at Bhulath village, where the two reportedly planned abduction and murder of Sodhi Singh.

To execute the plan, Gurnek allegedly called a group of accomplices, including his son Pohljeet Singh, Randeep Singh, alias Pinda, Jashanpreet Singh, alias Jassa, Ram Bahadur and Mukhtiar Singh, alias Milan. The group followed Sodhi Singh from near Mundi Morh, forcibly bundled him into a car and severely assaulted him. The accused then took the victim to an isolated location near Garhshankar, where they allegedly killed him on the intervening night of May 9 and 10. On the morning of May 10, around 5 am, Gurnek and Pohljeet allegedly took the victim’s body in a red Chevrolet Tavera (bearing registration number Punjab 32 G 6440) and dumped it in roadside bushes near Fattudhinga village.

The police arrested all seven accused involved in the crime. During investigation, two vehicles, including Tavera and a Swift car, were recovered from the accused. One of the vehicles reportedly belonged to Gurnek and was used in abduction of the victim. — OC