‘Gangster’ Amritpal Singh Amri wanted for three murders shot in Amritsar's Jandiala Guru

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 20

Alleged gangster Amritpal Singh Amri (21) was shot dead today by the Amritsar (rural) police as he tried to flee after opening fire at a police team, leaving a cop injured.

An encounter ensued between Amri and the police team around 8.30 am at Dharad village canal in Jandiala Guru, resulting in his death. He was arrested by the police yesterday. The police team had taken him to the spot after he had confessed to have hidden 2 kg heroin there.

“Along with heroin, the accused had kept a .9mm imported pistol with it. He was handcuffed but he took out the pistol and fired at the police team in order to escape from the spot by taking advantage of the dense fog. The police team acted in self-defence,” said SSP Satinder Singh. Constable Lovepreet Singh suffered a bullet injury while another cop escaped narrowly as a bullet pierced through his turban, he added.

Acted in self-defence, say police

The suspect had kept a .9mm pistol with the heroin. He was handcuffed but he managed to take out the pistol and open fire to flee the spot by taking advantage of dense fog. The police team acted in self-defence. — Satinder Singh, SSP

Following the incident, senior police officials, including SP Jugraj Singh, rushed to the spot. The area was cordoned off and mediapersons were not allowed to go near the encounter spot.

Amri, who was an associate of gangster Happy Jatt, was wanted by the police in three murder cases, besides in an attempt-to-murder case in the recent past in Jandiala Guru. All murders were carried out at the behest of Happy. While three of his accomplices had already been arrested by the police, Amri, the main shooter, had been evading arrest.

The operation continued for around an hour. During the operation, the police sounded an alert in the villages located nearby and asked them to inform the police in case any suspicious elements entered their village.

The police said besides 2 kg heroin and the pistol, the police also seized some cartridges of .30-bore calibre from the spot. Police official said that Amri had come in contact with Happy, also of Jandiala Guru, almost a year ago.

Forensic teams also reached the spot for carrying out investigations. A magisterial probe has been initiated. The SSP said a post-mortem examination would be carried out by a board of doctors. Manjit Singh, father of the deceased, said that he was not aware of the activities of his son regarding drug peddling and involvement in murders. He said that he had not come to the house for two years. He used to do labour work with a mason before he fell in bad company. He said that the family had disowned him.

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