Cops trace toll firing suspects 300 km away, nab in 24 hours

After car-borne miscreants fired gunshots at employees working at the Ladhowal toll plaza on Saturday night for being stopped from using the VIP lane to pass without paying toll tax, the Ludhiana police launched a hunt by following their (suspects’) trail and finally caught them from Batala within 24 hours.

They were identified as Amitpal Singh of Ghoha village, Fatehgarh Churian, Aditya Mohan of Dhariwal and Satnam Singh of Batala. All suspects are farmers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rupinder Singh said the suspects had gone to attend a marriage in Patiala and while returning to Batala, they had heated arguments with Ladhowal toll barrier employees as they were stopped from passing through the VIP lane without paying the fee. In no time, arguments turned into a scuffle as the workers too gathered at the scene with sticks. Afterwards, the suspects opened fire. Fortunately, no one suffered any bullet injury.

The DCP said the suspects alleged that they also suffered injuries as they were attacked by the toll barrier employees with sticks.

ADCP Kanwalpreet Singh said one of the occupants of the vehicle reportedly opened fire from a licensed weapon. The suspects were not having any criminal record.

Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma told The Tribune that after the incident, teams were formed to trace the suspects. Police teams followed the trail of suspects from Ludhiana to Batala, covering around 300 kilometres and finally managed to reach their whereabouts. They were caught within 24 hours.

“Our police teams analysed plate number, vehicle colour profile and direction of escape. CCTV footage from nearby fuel stations, dhabas and private establishments was collected. The vehicle was identified as Mahindra XUV 500 (PB08DN7626). Based on the lead, the first owner was located and thereafter the present owner/user was identified,” he said.

Sources said since the suspects, who were drunk, were unable to cross the Ladhowal toll barrier due to a scuffle with the toll employees. Hence, they went towards South City Bridge and reached Patiala from another route.

Meanwhile, sources said role of toll employees was also being probed as the suspects alleged in the police questioning that the staff had first misbehaved and then attacked them and they fired shots in the air in their safety but it is to be seen if the police would buy the plea of the three suspects. Notably, the Ladhowal toll plaza often remain in news for mostly wrong reasons as many a times in the past bouncers deployed at the toll barrier were accused of misbehaviour and assault by commuters.