Amritsar man was shot as he tried to stop killer from stealing from his shop

Mattewal (Amritsar), November 13

A pall of gloom has descended upon Mattewal village near here over the killing of its 21-year-old native in Mississippi in the USA for objecting to the alleged killer's bid to steal some articles from his shop there.

Akshaypreet Singh alias Monu, hailing from Mattewal, was shot dead on Saturday by the alleged thief after he noticed him on the CCTV camera pocketing some articles from the shop and objected to it.

This led to the "thief" entering into a scuffle with him and whipping out a pistol within minute and shooting him dead within minutes from point blank range.

"The news of Akshaypreet's killing reached here when we were in a jubilant mood following the birth of a son to his elder brother Lovepreet here," said the slain youth's uncle Sohan Singh on Tuesday.

Akshaypreet had gone to the Mississippi around three years ago to manage some shops opened by his father Bakshish Singh there, he said with moist eyes.

Sohan Singh said his family was in a hospital here following the birth of a baby boy on November 9, when he received a phone call from the USA from his brother Bakshish Singh about Akshaypreet's killing and everybody here has been left in a state of shock.

"Bakshish told me that Akshaypreet saw someone on the shop's CCTV camera stealing some articles from their store, he reached the spot and objected to it. The man entered into a scuffle with him and within a minute he whipped out a pistol and opened fire at him," said Sohan Singh.

Akshaypreet suffered three gunshot wounds and died on the spot, said Singh, adding there was no one at the shop -- neither any of his family members, nor his employees -- when the incident took place, said Singh.

Akshaypreet along with his father used to run and manage three stores in Mississippi and nearby areas, said Singh.

Sohan Singh said Akshaypreet was yet unmarried and the family was planning his marriage and looking for a suitable match for him.

“Akshaypreet's elder brother Lovepreet was married in India. His mother is still living here in the village ancestral house. She has been inconsolable after the incident,” said Singh. PTI