Ludhiana killings accused was ace shooter
The police are surprised how the Ludhiana killings accused was able to hit two targets in the head without missing a shot. For him, it was “a game”.
The police are surprised how the Ludhiana killings accused was able to hit two targets in the head without missing a shot. For him, it was “a game”.
Gurjit Singh Sam, charged with gunning down fugitive brothers Harinder Singh and Jatinder Singh on Saturday, has revealed that he was a championship shooter once, an excellent marksman at the state-level, who had the reputation of hitting the bullseye with regularity.
He was in the sport and Ludhiana Rifles Association for 10 years until an injury to the eye in a 2002 road accident took him out of the game. Even specialised surgery in Amritsar couldn’t cure him completely. Forced to end his shooting career, he took to hunting birds near his Balachaur farmhouse, which helped him keep his skills and land five shots on target on Saturday.
He possesses a pistol and two rifles. He is husband of Takhran Khokhran sarpanch Rajwinder Kaur.
‘Didn’t mean to kill’
Gurjit Singh has told the police that he didn’t mean to kill Harinder and Jatinder when they had left Machhiwara on Saturday; and a spat as they reached their rented accommodation forced him to fire at them. The police won’t buy the story until they have questioned all the accused separately to verify.
Remand extended
The duty magistrate on Thursday extended the police-custody period of the Ludhiana killings accused by three days. The police had sought the accused (Gurjit Singh; constable Yadwinder Singh; and Home Guards jawans Baldev Singh and Ajit Singh) in custody for 10 days.
The public prosecutor said the police were yet to ask them about the sequence of events. The special investigation team (SIT) that the state government has formed also has to question the accused. Forensic experts from Chandigarh have visited the Jamalpur house where the police party and the husband of the sarpanch had gunned down the two brothers on September 27.
Police commissioner Pramod Ban, who has to supervise the SIT, also has inspected the crime scene. The local forensic science team also has been to the spot.
Pro-Khalistan posts on victims’ FB page
Scanning the Facebook profiles of victims Harinder Singh and Jatinder Singh, the police came across pro-Khalistan posts by the young men. They had operated their account till September 25, updated pictures, locations and status even when they were on the run in a case of attempt to murder.
CPM demands judicial probe
Condemning the killing of two brothers in Jamalpur (Ludhiana) “with the connivance of police and with political motives”, the Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) on Thursday sought a judicial probe into the case. In a press statement, Charan Singh Virdi, secretary, Punjab state committee of the CPM, said this “cold-blooded murder” of two youths had exposed all tall claims of the Badal government in providing the rule of law in the state.
“It is demanded that a comprehensive judicial inquiry be held into this heinous crime so as to bring to light all its ramifications, including political ones,” he said.