Three rounded up for trader's murder

Phagwara, September 19

Three persons, including a woman, have been rounded up for the brutal murder of a young trader. The family members of the deceased had decided not to cremate the body till the arrest of the killers.

The deceased, Pankaj Duggal, who had a business of confectionary items in Himachal Pradesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his residence in New Mansa Devi Nagar here last night.

The body of the deceased was kept a the Civil Hospital mortuary for post-mortem, which could not be conducted due to various reasons, said Senior Medical Officer Dr Lehimber Ram.

When contacted, Rajpal Singh Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of the Police (SSP) said during preliminary investigation, it was found that personal enmity could only be the reason behind murder.

Gurpreet Singh, Superintendent of Police (SP), Phagwara, said on the statement of Neeraj Duggal, brother of the deceased, the police had registered a case under Sections 302 of the IPC and 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against the unknown killers.

Heavy police force has been deputed around the house of the deceased.

The SSP said an ongoing dispute with a neighbour and a property row could be one of the reasons behind murder. Former Union Minister Vijay Sampla visited the house of the deceased to express condolence with his family members, who were in a deep shock. Pankaj (40) is survived by his wife and three sons.