Director General of Police Suresh Arora and other police officers with motorcycles allegedly used in the killings, in Ludhiana on Friday. Tribune Photo: Himanshu Mahajan
Nikhil Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, November 10
Sharpshooter Hardeep Singh Shera (21), who was arrested in Fatehgarh Sahib today and later taken toMoga for questioning, was involved in seven targeted killings in Punjab over the past year and a half, the police have said.
Shera’s uncle (taaya) adopted him when he completed Class V. He sent Shera to Italy, where he studied up to Class VIII.
“After completing Class VIII, Shera started pursuing a diploma in electronics in Italy. During this time, he met KLF militant Harminder Singh Mintoo when he was 18 years old. Mintoo influenced Shera to work for Khalistan. During a series of meetings, Mintoo shared his Skype number with Shera. They remained in touch,” a senior police officer told The Tribune.
The police said Shera and Ramandeep Singh alias Canadian, who was arrested on Tuesday, were assigned the task of killings to spread communal tension in the state.
On January 19, 2016, Ramandeep and Shera went to an RSS shakha in Ludhiana’s Kidwai Nagar to kill a worker of the Sangh . Shera was driving a motorcycle, while Ramandeep riding pillion opened fire. He, however, missed the target.
On February 3, 2016, they went to shoot Shiv Sena’s Amit Arora. Ramandeep again missed the target.
“Since Ramandeep was missing targets, Shera decided to hone his shooting skills. He brought a Swiss-made air pistol from Italy. In a few months, he became perfect,” the police added.
The targets
Hardeep Singh Shera allegedly shot dead the following persons over the past year and a half.
April 23, 2016: Shiv Sena leader Durga Prasad Gupta shot dead in Khanna
August 6: RSS leader Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd) shot at in Jalandhar; died a month later
January 14, 2017: Amit Sharma, district president of the Sri Hindu Takht, shot dead outside Durga Mata Temple in Ludhiana
February 25: Dera Sacha Sauda follower Satpal Sharma and his son Ramesh killed at a Naam Charcha Ghar in Ludhiana
July 15: Pastor Sultan Masih murdered outside a church in Ludhiana
October 17: RSS leader Ravinder Gosain shot dead at Basti Jodhewal in Ludhiana
After every killing, Shera used to leave the country, the police said. He left for Italy on August 12, 2016, days after firing at Brig Jagdish Gagneja (retd)
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