Gangster Lucky Patial, who runs the Davinder Bambiha gang from Armenia, had allegedly supplied the .30-bore pistol used in the murder of a 32-year-old local wrestler, who was shot by two persons in Mullanpur’s Padaul village last week over a long-standing dispute.
A police officer revealed that the accused did not exchange fire with the police during the operation. Police revealed that Jassu is a history-sheeter, with two cases, including a drug case, registered against him at Mullanpur police station. The victim was initially taken to a local hospital and later shifted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, where he succumbed to his injuries two days later. Joora faces a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Around 15 days later, the weapon was made available to him – buried at an undisclosed location. Police had initially registered a case under Section 109 (attempt to murder), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3 (5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Sections 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act. After the victim’s death, they added Section 103 (murder) to the case.
The weapon had been supplied for a separate assignment but was used by one of the accused to settle his personal grudge, according to police. Superintendent of police (SP) Jaspinder Singh said the accused Jaspreet Singh, alias Jassu, had contacted Patial through social media about a month ago. Jassu fired a warning shot in the air before surrendering the weapon and raising his hands, he said.
The accused were arrested from a forested area in Mullanpur on Saturday and the pistol recovered from their possession.
Jassu, police added, had a long-standing dispute with the victim’s family. The village panchayat had tried to broker a compromise between the two parties but in vain. Last Thursday, the accused, along with his accomplice Davinder Singh, alias Joora, also a resident of Padaul, cornered the victim, got into an argument and fired six rounds, four of which struck him.
The allegations are that Jassu had been harassing the victim’s cousin due to which both sides had been at odds.
