The ongoing relentless war against gangsters launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann delivered yet another success after Punjab Police arrested four persons, including two shooters, for murdering a Tarn Taran-based Shopkeeper Gurjant Singh, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday. Gurjant Singh was shot dead at his shop by two assailants at his shop on October 11, 2022.
The arrested persons are close associates of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Europe-based terrorist Satpal Singh alias Satta, who in turn are close associates of a Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI).
The arrested shooters have been identified as Gurkirat Singh alias Ghugi of village Sheron in Tarn Taran and Ajmeet Singh of Naushera Pannuan in Tarn Taran, said DGP Gaurav Yadav while identifying two others as Harmanjot and Akashdeep Singh— both resident of Batala, who was arrested for providing weapons and other logistic support to the shooters. The police had also recovered four pistols including two 9mm and two .30 bore from their possession, he added.
The development came four days after the arrest of two persons, identified as Ravisher Singh alias Ravi of village Sheron in Tarn Taran and Varinder Singh alias Bhindi of Naushera Pannuan in Tarn Taran, who carried out recce and harboured shooters in this case. The Police had also recovered one .30 bore pistol and two cars including Hyundai Verna and Volkswagen Vento— which were used in the crime, from their possession.
CP Amritsar Arun Pal Singh said that following reliable inputs, in a joint operation Tarn Taran Police, Commissionerate Police Amritsar and Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) arrested all the four accused persons.
Preliminary Investigations have revealed that the arrested persons were hatching a conspiracy to commit another targeted killing in the area of Amritsar at the behest of Landa and Rinda.
SSP Tarn Taran Ranjit Singh Dhillon revealed that there was a family dispute between Gurjant and his estranged cousin Arshdeep Singh alias Batti, who is a close associate of Satnam Satta and Landa, and was arrested by the Delhi Special Cell in Kurukshetra IED planting case.
"Landa and Satta avenged the arrest of Arshdeep Batti by murdering Gurjant, who according to them was the informer to the Police and played a pivotal role in getting Arshdeep Batti arrested," he added.
Pertinently, a case FIR No. 200 dated 11.10.2022 had been registered under sections 302, 506 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25/54/59 of the Arms Act at Police Station Sadar Tarn Taran.