Punjab: Two from Rajpura arrested on arrival over 2023 murder

Two of the US deportees were arrested in a murder case by the Punjab Police on their arrival at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport.

A military plane carrying 117 illegal immigrants had landed at the airport on Saturday night. Sandeep Singh, alias Sunny, and Pardeep Singh were wanted in the murder case that took place in Rajpura in June 2023.

Both cousins and residents of Rajpura, they had been evading arrest ever since the incident.They were produced before a local court, which sent them to three-day police custody. Their families had spent around Rs 1.20 crore to send them to the US through the “dunki route” after the murder. A senior police officer said they were on a lookout for them ever since they went into hiding after the murder.

“As soon as we came to know that they were being deported, a team was kept on standby at the Amritsar airport from where they were arrested,” he added.

The police said the accused were present at the crime spot when Swaran Singh was stabbed to death after a heated argument over some rotten mangoes. One person was left badly injured. “The two were named in the FIR when one of the injured registered a formal complaint,” the police said.

The accused’s family members denied the charge, saying they are being implicated in a false case.

“My brothers were only present at the crime spot. They were not part of the quarrel. Since they left their vehicle at the crime spot, the police came knocking at our doors, following which we were left with no option but to send them abroad through the ‘dunki route’,” said Pardeep’s brother Mandeep Singh.

“Those who committed the crime are roaming freely while our innocent brothers are behind bars,” he added.

Pardeep’s father said they had sold three acres to arrange funds for their journey to the US. “I appeal to the government to probe the matter thoroughly,” he said.

Proclaimed offender held

Ludhiana: The police arrested a US deportee from the Amritsar airport in snatching and assault cases. A resident ofSasrali village here, Gurwinder was also declared a proclaimed offender by a court in an assault case lodged by the Faridkot police. His father serves as a head constable with the Ludhiana police.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) Sumit Sood said a team was sent to the Amritsar airport to arrest him. “Gurwinder has a criminal record and facing two criminal cases, including a snatching case lodged at Jamalpur,” he said.