Youth shot dead at Abohar court parking lot, four held

A youth with a criminal background was shot dead in the parking lot of the Abohar Courts Complex on Thursday.

In the evening, the police said they have arrested the main suspect and his three accomplices.

According to reports, Akash, alias Golu Pandit, son of Avinash Chander, who is a priest of the oldest Johari Mandir in Abohar, and his friend Sonu had gone to the courts complex in an SUV. As Golu moved towards the SUV after appearing in the court in an Arms Act case, several armed men opened fire on him.

Golu’s companions immediately rushed him to the Abohar Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Sonu, who was accompanying Golu, said three to four youths fired five bullets at Golu and fled the crime scene.

Ironically, the police had taken out a flag march in the city and villages yesterday to ensure law and order ahead of the zila parishad and block samiti elections on December 14. SSP Gurmeet Singh, who inspected the crime site, said the forensic experts had collected evidence from the spot and the body had been kept at the mortuary.

Members of the Abohar Bar Association met the SSP and sought fool-proof security at the courts complex, which also has office of the Superintendent of Police, Treasury Office and Suvidha Kendra.

Ferozepur Range DIG Snehdeep Sharma, who reached Abohar in the afternoon, said preliminary probe pointed towards a rivalry between the two groups. Acting on the statement of the Golu’s father, the police have registered a case against Gagandeep Singh, alias Gaggi Lahoria, both residents of Abohar, Gogi Bishnoi of Rajanwali, and Sahil Kharbas of Panjkosi village.

The DIG said those involved in the crime would be brought to the justice.

At least seven suspects involved

The police claimed to have arrested the main suspect and his three accomplices in Thursday’s shootout incident that resulted in the death of Golu Pandit, son of the Johari mandir priest.

The police said Gagandeep Singh, alias Gaggi Lahoria, and his three accomplices, who belong to Arya Nagar, had been nabbed. Others include Vishu Nadha, Sushil Kumar, alias Bhalu, and Aman, alias Tota.

Cops said Sahil Kharbas of Panjkosi had allegedly threatenend to eliminate Golu over the phone. At least seven persons used a car and two bikes to reach the courts complex parking lot before firing at Golu.