Punjab: Two held for kidnapping, killing NRI in Jalandhar
Accused wanted to threaten victim into coughing up money but killed him as he recognised one of them.
Mohinder Singh, a 76-year-old non-resident Indian (NRI) who was kidnapped by two unidentified persons from Kang Sahibu village in Jalandhar district three days ago, has been murdered, police said on Tuesday.
Jalandhar rural senior superintendent of police Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the two kidnappers, who were arrested on Tuesday, had confessed to committing the crime.
Identified as Harjinder Singh and Manjot Singh, the accused were apprehended from Nakodar and Amritsar, respectively. The Alto car used in the crime has also been recovered.
“The two killed Mohinder Singh with sharp-edged weapons hours after kidnapping him from Kang Sahibu. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the crime was motivated by greed and the desire for quick financial gain,” Khakh said.
According to the police, the accused further revealed that though Mohinder Singh’s face was covered after being abducted, he recognised Manjot by his voice so the accused murdered him. Their motive was to scare the victim into coughing up money, officials informed.
After stabbing the NRI to death, the accused dumped his body in a canal near Moga. “A team of divers is trying to locate the body. The police, in coordination with the drainage department and SDRF teams from the Punjab Armed Police (PAP), Jalandhar, are currently lowering the water levels of the canal to recover the body,” the SSP said.
The two car-borne youngsters had intercepted UK-based NRI’s car when he was heading to the gurdwara on the outskirts of Kang Sahibu village on the Nakodar-Jalandhar road on Saturday evening.
Complainant Daljit Singh, who was witness to the incident, said that the two youngsters were waiting near the main road in a car and as soon as Mohinder’s car turned up, they rammed their vehicle into it. When the NRI came out to confront them, they overpowered and kidnapped him.
Khakh said a special investigation team (SIT), led by superintendent of police (SP) Manpreet Singh Dhillon and comprising Nakodar superintendent of police (DSP) Kulwinder Singh Virk, CIA Inspector (Jalandhar rural) Pushap Bali and Sadar Nakodar SHO sub-inspector (SI) Baljinder Singh, had been formed to investigate the case.
“The CCTV footage, technical analysis and witness testimonies helped identify the suspects,” the SSP said.
According to SSP Khakh, the first breakthrough came on Monday with the arrest of Harjinder Singh, alias Lali, in Nakodar. The second suspect, Manjot Singh, was arrested next day near Tarsikka in Amritsar district.
Further investigation uncovered that the suspects had discarded Mohinder Singh’s mobile phone in the canal and disposed of their own phones elsewhere in an attempt to mislead the police.
The police have registered a case under Sections 103 (murder) and 140 (kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Nakodar Sadar police station. The NRI was staying alone at his house in the village after returning from the United Kingdom.