No arrest yet in former sarpanch murder case

Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, November 20

Even 48 hours after former Akali sarpanch and vice-president of district SAD unit Dalbir Singh Dhilwan was gunned down and later hacked to death, the Batala police are yet to arrest any of the seven accused.

On Monday evening, Dhilwan was shot dead with a .12 bore rifle allegedly by his neighbour Balwinder Singh and his sons Mandeep Singh and Major Singh. An FIR was registered under Section 302 IPC and various sections of the Arms Act at Kotil Surat Malhi police station against Balwinder, his sons and four unidentified persons.

SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman had formed five teams to trace the accused, but there is no breakthrough in the case.

Meanwhile, SAD leaders claimed that the law and order machinery had collapsed in the state. Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia visited the deceased’s house. He was accompanied by Batala MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal, Majha youth wing incharge Ravi Karan Singh Kahlon, former Hoshiarpur ZP chairman Sarabjot Singh Sabi and local leaders.

Majithia claimed that the crime was the handiwork of local Congressmen. However, senior police officers, including Ghuman, denied that the incident had anything to do with local politics.

“A political tinge is needlessly being given to the entire episode. Whatever has happened was at the spur of the moment,” claimed the SSP.

Addressing a press conference, Majithia said, “The law and order mechanism has completely collapsed. The Batala cops are unwilling to arrest the accused apparently under pressure from local Congress leaders. Everybody knows the accused were accused aligned with the Congress. The rifle used in the crime, too, was procured illegally. I request the DGP to personally intervene and ensure that the guilty are brought to book.”

A senior officer said the victim’s brother, Girja, was shot dead in a police encounter during the days of terrorism. “Girja and his accomplice Baba Ranjit Singh Dyalgarh were gunned down by the cops. The Akali leaders are conveniently sweeping this fact under the carpet because it does not suit them politically,” he said.

Cabinet minister and local MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, “Everybody knows he (Majithia) is in the habit of building castles in the air. Let him first substantiate his accusations and only then will I react.”