Pb police kill peddlerin Jagraon encounter

Ludhiana: Punjab Police on Thursday night shot dead a drug peddler in an encounter near Jagraon. The deceased was identified as Raj Kumar, around 30, from Khurshaidpura.ASI Daljit Singh of ANTF Ferozepur range, who led the police party from Ferozepur, told Ludhiana rural police that they received information about a large quantity of heroin with drug smuggler Raj Kumar of Khurshaidpura. As part of a pre-planned operation, the ANTF Ferozepur police party stationed itself at the nearby bus stand with Rs 15 lakh cash.Information was also sent to the Anti Task Force, SAS Nagar police station, to register a case. Following this, they reached Jagraon.According to a police official, two youths came in a car to sell heroin. A young man got down from the vehicle and approached the Duster vehicle in which senior constable Sukhdeep Singh was sitting. He identified himself as Raj Kumar from the village of Khurshaidpura. The accused took a black envelope containing two kilograms of heroin and tried to hand it over to senior constable Sukhdeep Singh. He demanded Rs 15 lakh from the cop for the heroin. The senior constable argued with Raju and closed the window of the vehicle. Meanwhile, the envelope containing the heroin fell out and the accused ducked, taking out a pistol and firing with the intention of killing senior constable Sukhdeep Singh. The bullet pierced the glass on the conductor's side of the vehicle, hit the gear lever, and fell inside.Sukhdeep Singh got out of the vehicle to save his life and fired a single shot at the accused in self-defence, hitting him in the chest. The accused fell to the ground, while the police tried to stop the vehicle in which the other accused were. However, in the chaos of firing, an unknown youth sitting on the driver's side fled from the scene.Police took the injured youth to the civil hospital, where he died. Inspector Varinderpal Singh, SHO, Jagraon City police station, reached the spot after receiving information about the firing.On the statement of ASI Daljit Singh of ANTF Ferozepur range, police registered a case under Section 109 (attempt to murder) of BNS, sections of the Arms Act, and NDPS Act against Raj Kumar and an unknown person.Police said that technical and forensic evidence was collected and the scene was videographed. A senior police officer stated that during the probe, it was found that the main accused in the case, Raj Kumar Raju, had studied up to Class X and had four brothers. She added that a total of 23 cases were registered against the accused in different districts under the NDPS Act, Attempt to Murder, Robbery, and Arms Act.