‘Honour killing’: Sangrur cops nab 4 accused

Patiala: The Lehragaga police in Sangrur district have solved what investigators described as an "honour killing" within 12 hours of the crime, with the arrest of four men accused of conspiring and carrying out the fatal shooting of a villager over a family dispute linked to a love marriage.Senior superintendent of police Sangrur Sartaj Singh Chahal said the incident occurred on the intervening night of February 17 and 18, when the assailants entered a house in Lehal Kalan village and shot dead 22-year-old Gurpreet Singh alias Babbu. A case was registered at the Lehragaga police station and special teams were immediately formed to track down the accused.During investigation, the police concluded that the killing was motivated by so-called "honour" linked to a love marriage. Gurpreet Singh had married Ramandeep Singh's sister about one and a half years ago, a relationship that investigators said triggered resentment within the woman's family.The accused were identified as Ramandeep Singh of Chural Kalan village and his associates Ravi, Modi and Harpreet Singh, residents of a village in Jakhal, Haryana. Police said all four accused were in their mid-twenties. They were apprehended following coordinated raids led by the DSP Lehragaga along with Lehragaga SHO Manpreet Singh and the CIA Sangrur officials.The police said the accused entered the house at around 2am by scaling the wall of the house and committed the crime. The authorities recovered a .32-bore country-made pistol with magazine, another improvised firearm, and a .315-bore cartridge. A car allegedly used in the crime was also seized. The police said that further investigation was being carried out and details were also being collected from where the accused had bought illegal weapons. The SSP said the rapid detection reflected close coordination and swift intelligence work. He added that honour-based violence was a serious offence and the police would pursue the case firmly to ensure justice. Further investigation was underway to establish the sequence of events and gather forensic evidence.The police have appealed to the public to support law enforcement efforts by reporting criminal activity and promoting social harmony, emphasising that personal disputes must never escalate into violence.