Sarpanch murder case: Prime suspect nabbed

The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in a joint operation with the Tarn Taran police, cracked the sarpanch (Bachitar Singh alias Bikkar) murder case by arresting the prime suspect, Bachitar Sukhbir Singh, alias Sukh, a resident of Barwala area in Tarn Taran here, on Monday.

Bikkar was shot dead by two armed assailants at Naushehra Pannuan village on September 12 last year.

DGP Gurav Yadav in a statement said Sukhbir was a habitual offender against whom several cases under the NDPS Act and the Arms Act and snatching cases have been registered.

He said AGTF teams under the supervision of AIG (AGTF) Sandeep Goel and teams of the Tarn Taran police under the supervision of SSP Abhimanyu Rana were pursuing the culprit involved in the murder. They got a tip-off about the presence of both the accused in Pahuwind area in Tarn Taran.

Acting swiftly, AGTF and Tarn Taran police teams followed the accused person and managed to arrest Sukhbir near Gurdwara Sahib at Pahuwind village.

AIG Sandeep Goel and SSP Abhimanyu Rana said Sukhbir played a crucial role in hatching conspiracy to execute the murder of Sarpanch Bachittar Singh. The accused was also involved in conducting a recce of the sarpanch, they added.

With his arrest, the police have nabbed seven out of the total eight suspects nominated in the murder case. Further investigations are on and police teams are conducting a hunt to nab the eighth accused, the SSP said.

Further investigation is underway to identify his associates and unearth the full extent of his criminal activities, he added.

Amritsar