Gurdaspur MP’s relatives among 4 booked for Muktsar double murder
Senior Congress leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s father-in-law and brother-in-law are among the four persons booked for murder of 55-year-old Vinay Partap Brar and his 22-year-old son Surya Partap Brar at their native Abul Khurana village near Malout on Saturday evening.
The father-son duo was shot dead on the Lalbai road at their village while returning from their fields in an SUV. The murders were allegedly the result of a land dispute.
Vinay was nephew (sister’s son) of Congress leader and former Sardulgarh MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar. The FIR has been registered on the complaint lodged by Shazia Partap Brar, daughter of Vinay.
Those booked include Randhawa’s father-in-law Nachattarpal Singh, brother-in-law Ravinder Singh, alias Bubby, and Davinder Singh, alias Rana, all residents of Abul Khurana village. An unidentified person has also been booked in the case.
Ajit Inder Singh Mofar and his son Bikram Singh Mofar said, “An old land dispute in the village turned ugly on Saturday, claiming the lives of Vinay and his son. Vinay’s daughter was aware of the land dispute and has lodged an FIR. The accused enjoy political patronage and have not been arrested even after 24 hours of the incident.”
According to the FIR, Rana, along with an unidentified person, allegedly killed the father-son duo and fled, while Nachattar and his son Bubby were behind the conspiracy.
“My father, brother and our relative Darshan Singh Mofar were returning from the fields in an SUV, when Rana along with an unidentified person stopped their way with a tractor and indulged in arguments,” stated Shazia in the FIR.
“In the melee, the unidentified person hit my father in the face with a slugger. When my brother went to bring a slugger from his SUV, Rana fired two bullets that hit my father in the back. He then shot my brother in the back. Both collapsed and died on the spot. Darshan witnessed the entire incident and fled to save his life. We have a land dispute with Rana, Nachattar and Ravinder,” said Shazia.
“All of them, along with an unidentified person, conspired and killed my father and brother. Earlier, Rana had told my father that he would not allow us to harvest wheat,” she said in the FIR.
Muktsar SSP Akhil Chaudhary said, “Four persons have been booked and efforts are underway to nab them. We have formed a four-member special investigation team under the supervision of SP (Detective) Manmeet Singh to investigate the case.”
The SSP said, “Rana had two licensed weapons, a .32 bore revolver and a double-barrel gun. Preliminary reports suggest a .32 bore revolver was used to commit the murders, but the post-mortem report will confirm the facts.”
Some villagers said the deceased and the accused were influential landlords.
They said Vinay rarely visited the village and was living in Chandigarh. His son was currently studying in Bangalore, while his daughter is studying in Mohali.
Punjab