Man dies in celebratory firing, accused flees

Tarn Taran, February 16

The death of a 45-year-old person in the post-wedding celebratory fire at a marriage palace at Jhugian Kalu village in Patti on Tuesday night has raised a question mark on the functioning of the district and police administration.

The deceased Gurdit Singh of Naushehra Pannuan village, along with his family, had gone to attend the marriage of his brother-in-law at Jhugian Kalu village where the suspect, an Army man Amarjit Singh Ravi of Moga, was indulging in the celebratory firing with a double-barrel rifle of his father.

Groom’s father Channan Singh tried to stop him but the drunk Amarjit continued firing. One of the gunshots hit Gurdit in the chest that led to his death. Amarjit was booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The accused was also a relative of the deceased. There were reports that the gun used in the firing was in the name of accused father Balvir Singh, who is an ex-serviceman.

Earlier too, similar incidents had occurred. On November 21 last year, the Amritsar police had booked a constable for allegedly indulging in celebratory firing in an inebriated state during a function. Accused Ranjodh Singh was a telephone operator with the police.

Harjinder Singh, SHO, Patti Sadar, said the accused was on the run and raids were being conducted to locate him.