Moga youth murdered in Philippines

Tribune News Service

Moga, November 19

A 25-year-old youth, hailing from Daala village in Moga, was allegedly murdered by unidentified assailants at Legazpi City in Philippines today.

The deceased has been identified as Jasmel Singh, alias Jassa. He went to Philippines 15 months ago and was running a small finance company.

He was reportedly shot by two motorcycle-borne masked youths in the market of Legazpi City. The assailants fired five bullet shots at Jasmel, killing him on the spot. The assailants fled the spot after committing the crime.

Jasmel’s father Iqbal Singh said his son worked in a finance company for a couple of months and later started his own business.

Preliminary findings revealed that the motive behind the murder was not robbery. However, business rivalry could not be ruled out as his business was growing for the past few months.

“I have learnt that a rival businessman who was not happy with Jasmel’s growing business in the local market of Legazpi City hired contract killers to kill my brother,” said Jasmel’s brother Gurjit Singh.

A Punjabi youth living in Legazpi City called Jasmel’s family to inform them about the incident.

The family members urged the state government to intervene on their behalf and help in getting the custody of Jasmel’s body from the authorities at Philippines.

Spokesman for the Punjab unit of the Aam Admi Party Navdeep Singh Sangha, expressing grief over Jasmel’s death, urged the External Affairs Ministry to help the aggrieved family in bringing back the body.

More than 20 youths belonging to Moga district had been murdered in the Philippines in the past eight years.