Target wasn’t dacoity but killing of Nagar Singh
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 13: Police last night arrested five criminals including mastermind of Tarlochan Singh Wazir murder case and cash snatching from the house of Rakesh Aggarwal alias Kesha Bania in Gandhi Nagar area last week, after a brief shootout in Marble Market area of Trikuta Nagar.
Rs 5 lakh cash, two pistols, police uniforms etc have been recovered from their possession.
Police sources told the Excelsior that three police teams—one each led by SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli, SP South Mamata Sharma and SDPO South Sachit Sharma surrounded Marble Market in Trikuta Nagar area last night after developing specific inputs that Amit Rana, a prime accused in Aggarwal’s cash snatching case, was hiding there along with accused.
On observing police teams, Rana fired at them from country made pistols leading to shootout in which he along with his associates were captured. Police teams had miraculous escape in the shootout.
All five accused were subjected to questioning during which Amit Rana turned out to be Harpreet Singh son of Paramajeet Singh of Hanuman Road Connaught Place, New Delhi, presently putting up at Digiana, who was prime accused in the killing of Tarlochan Singh Wazir at New Delhi in September 2021 as well as cash snatching at Rakesh Aggarwal’s house.
After the murder of Wazir, Harpreet became clean shaved and assumed the name of Amit Rana to escape the arrest. Delhi Police had issued Hue and Cry notice against him and announced Rs one lakh cash award on him.
Tarlochan Singh Wazir, 67, a former member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council (MLC), was found murdered with a gun shot at a flat in West Delhi’s Moti Nagar in September last year. Two accused were arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi police, while Harpreet was absconding.
Four other criminals arrested from the site of encounter at Marble Market include Manjeet Singh son of Surinder Singh R/o Ralhan Dasuya in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab, Harjinder Singh son of Jasvir Singh of Badayana, Adampur in Jalandhar district of Punjab, Raja Singh alias Raja son of Gurdev Singh of Panwah Dasuya, Hoshiarpur and Pinto Singh son of Krishan Lal of Abohar, Punjab.
Addressing a press conference here this evening, Additional DGP Jammu Mukesh Singh, accompanied by DIG Jammu-Samba-Kathua range Vivek Gupta and SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli, said initial investigation suggested that the criminals, nine of whom are residents of Punjab, had come to Gandhi Nagar to kill a businessman Choudhary Nagar Singh but later decamped with cash between Rs 10 to 15 lakh after they failed in their assassination plan.
“We have solved the Gandhi Nagar dacoity case within five days. The incident had happened on December 7 and accordingly 15 teams were constituted to crack the case. Six of the teams were sent to different locations in Punjab and Delhi and led to the arrest of five accused so far,” Singh said.
Presenting the arrested criminals before the media persons along with the recovered items, he said Harpreet Singh was the first person to be caught by the police team.
The ADGP said he fired with a pistol on the police party which showed exemplary courage and caught him alive. “He turned out to be the absconding mastermind of the Wazir murder case.”
“The initial investigation revealed that the culprits have not come with the intention to commit dacoity but to kill businessman Choudhary Nagar Singh at the house of Aggarwal after calling him there. When they failed, they fled with cash from the house,” he said.
Responding to questions, he said the probe is still at its preliminary stage and the entire conspiracy will be unveiled and all those behind it will be arrested.
“Jammu police will not tolerate such type of incidents. Anyone attempting such an act will be dealt with sternly,” the ADGP said.
Sources said it is being ascertained as to why Harpreet Singh wanted to kill Nagar Singh.
“Whether he wanted to do so himself or at the behest of someone else will be known during investigations,” they said.
Recoveries made from the possession of accused include Rs five lakh cash, two pistols, live pistol cartridges, six police jerseys, 10 police caps, mobile phones etc.
Sources said since the accused had come to the house of Rakesh Aggarwal wearing police uniforms, masks and gloves, it was difficult to identify them but various leads and clues were pursued and finally it was established that one Amit Rana along with others were involved in cash looting. Amit Rana, however, turned out to be Harpreet Singh.
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