Abohar businessman murder case: 2 accused shot dead in police encounter

Two alleged facilitators — arrested in connection with the murder of Abohar businessman Sanjay Verma — were killed in cross-firing that erupted between the police and other members of their gang today.

In a video briefing, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Harmanbir Singh Gill said the two revealed in an interrogation that they had helped the shooters in fleeing. They had dumped the clothes they were wearing during the shootout as well as weapons on the backside of Panjpeer Dunes.

When the Abohar police took the two arrested accused — Jaspreet Singh and Ram Rattan — for recovery of weapons for evidence, two other members of the gang were hiding at the location.

The DIG said that on seeing the police team, the miscreants started firing. Taking advantage of the situation, the two arrested accused tried to flee and were killed in the cross-firing. City police head constable Maninder Singh sustained a bullet injury on his arm and was admitted to Abohar Civil Hospital.

The DIG added that police officials have important leads in the preliminary investigation and hope to arrest other accused soon. A .30 bore pistol and empty shells were recovered from the spot.

Businessman Verma, co-partner of New Wear Well Emporium in Abohar, was shot dead in broad daylight outside his showroom on Monday. The killers escaped using a motorcycle, aided by an accomplice who was waiting nearby. Later, the group abandoned the bike along the roadside and fled the scene in a car parked near Sitto Gunno Road.

Two accused were arrested within 24 hours of the incident in a coordinated operation by the Fazilka Police and the Anti-Gangster Task Force, officials had said.

Earlier, Special Director General of Police (Law & Order) Arpit Shukla, after inspecting the crime site, said that the investigation was progressing rapidly and that all accused would be in police custody soon. Multiple wings and teams of the Punjab Police are working in coordination to trace the culprits, and the probe is moving in the right direction, he said.