Passey road murder: Accused were on the prowl in city

Tribune News Service

Aman Sood

Patiala, February 1

The initial interrogation of the accused arrested in the murder case of Patiala resident Sameer Kataria (37), who was killed in a carjacking attempt on Passey Road on Sunday, revealed shocking details. The police said Kataria was on his way home with his friend Kishan when three motorcyclists attacked them.

Sources within the police department revealed that the accused were on the prowl in the city for almost an hour to select a target randomly. “Almost an hour before they allegedly murdered Kataria, they almost robbed a van near Sheran Wala Gate. They started following the van and were looking for an isolated location to rob it. However, as the van had four to five occupants, they decided to look for another target,” said a source.

A police official said the accused started looking for an easy target and were waiting near Gurdawara Dukhniawaran Sahib. “They started following a car as they suspected that the two occupants were drunk. As the vehicle was on a slow pace, the accused attacked the driver and forcibly entered the vehicle and the co-passenger Kishan fled from the spot,” informed the police.

Further probe revealed that the accused, Abhishek, stabbed Kataria in the neck and also injured him in the thigh. “Kataria tried to put up a fight but the three assailants overpowered him and the neck injury proved deadly. The suspects then fled with the vehicle but lost control and met with an accident,” said a police official.

The four accused, Abhishek, Dinesh Kumar, Sahil Kumar and Yogesh Maurya, are all school dropouts. The police arrested Abhishek following an exchange of fire.

“We were on the road late at night trying to find an easy target to attack and snatch the vehicle from. We saw Sameer along with his friend and decided to attack them on a secluded road, and within minutes we executed the crime that led to his murder,” the accused told the cops during interrogation.

“Abhishek, and Dinesh Kumar, are the main criminal minds behind the crime, along with their other two associates,” said Patiala SSP Varun Sharma. One .32 bore country-made pistol and three cartridges were recovered from the accused.

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