Killer of Amritsar outfit leader in net

Jalandhar, March 6

The Punjab Police today arrested dreaded criminal Saraj Singh Sandhu, wanted in the killing of Hindu Sangharsh Sena leader Vipan Sharma. The 45-year-old right-wing activist was shot dead in broad daylight in Bharat Nagar locality of Amritsar on October 30 last year. A CCTV footage showed Sandhu pumping bullets into Sharma.

The AIG, Organised Crime Control Unit (OCCU), HPS Khakh, said Sandhu was nabbed near the Bidhipur railway crossing close to the Jalandhar-Amritsar highway at 6.15 am today. He was carrying two latest pistols and ammunition.

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The AIG said on September 1 last year, Saraj and his men had  freed  criminal Shubham Singh at Rayya while he was being taken to Amritsar courts in a bus, injuring ASI Sukhjinder Singh, who resisted them.

Shubham’s father Baljinder Singh, alias Kalu, a suspended police constable, was murdered some time ago. He suspected that Vipan Sharma had helped his father’s killer Simranjit Singh. Shubham, therefore, conspired with Saraj Singh to eliminate him.

Saraj, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh, was an accused in several cases, including murder, extortion, drug peddling, robbery and bank dacoity. Despite his long criminal record, it is the first time that Sandhu has been arrested. 

“He has confessed to his role in the drug trade along with friends Jaggu Bhagwan Purian and Bobby Malhotra, lodged in Hoshiarpur and Amritsar jails,” the AIG said. Sandhu had claimed responsibility for Sharma’s killing on Facebook. — TNS