Prominent Dera member and father of sacrilege accused shot dead in Bathinda

Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, November 20

A prominent dera follower, Manohar Lal, who is a member of 25 members committee of Dera Sacha Sauda and is father of Jatinderbir Singh Jimmy, who is an accused in a sacrilege incident, was shot dead by two unidentified persons in Bathinda on Friday.

Even after passing of many hours, the police are unable to trace the attackers. 

Bathinda SSP Bhupinderjit Singh Virk said Manohar Lal was present at his money changer shop near the bus stand at Bhagta Bhaika along with two workers, when two unidentified persons came and started firing on Manohar Lal.

Later, the seriously injured victim was taken to Adesh Hospital, where he was declared dead.

The SSP said police teams have started a probe and are working on all angles, so far the identity of the accused is not ascertained but hope that soon police would arrest the accused.

In 2018, Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Punjab Police had arrested Jimmy from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, while he was returning from Malaysia and was accompanied by his wife.

Later, he was sent to jail after police remand but these days he was out on bail.

On June 2, 2015, an FIR was registered at Baja Khana police station after a “bir” of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala.

On October 12, torn pages of the “bir” were found in Bargari. During the protests that followed, two Sikh men died in police firing at Behbal Kalan village on October 14.

Later on October 20, around 157 pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found scattered at different places in the village and as per the police, these pages were of the same “bir” that was stolen from gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot.

Both Jimmy and his father are prominent members of Dera Sacha Sauda.

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