26 booked in Lopoke firing case

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 13

Amritsar rural police have registered a cross case against two groups which were involved yesterday’s firing incident that claimed three lives and left seven injured following a land dispute in Dashmesh Nagar Manj village falling under the Lopoke police station.

Both the groups belonged to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and among the deceased, included sarpanch of Lodhi Gujjar village identified as Nawab Singh. He is foster son of former Chogwan block samiti chairman Sarabjit Singh Lodhi Gujjar. In addition to this, the police have also booked a person for firing and attacking a police party which went to the spot to control the situation.

The police have booked deceased Nawab Singh, besides Gurbax Singh, Surjit Singh, Parkash Singh, Bagicha Singh, Lakha Singh and 12 unidentified persons belonging to Lodhi Gujjar group. They have been booked under Sections 302, 307, 324, 427, 452 of the IPC and Arms Act.

Among those who have been booked from the opposite group (which was headed by Bawa Singh) include Sahib Singh, Sardool Singh, Makhtool Singh, Iqbal Singh, Surjit Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Malkeet Singh and Gurpreet Singh. They were also charged under similar sections of Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

The police also booked Lakhbir Singh, alias Lakha Singh, of Lodhi Gujjar group for firing at DSP Jagatpreet Singh who was heading the police team that reached the spot to control the situation.

He was booked under Sections 307, 353, 186 and 336 of the IPC, besides Arms Act. Three persons – Nawab Singh and Jagtar Singh of Lodhi Gujjar group and Narinder Singh of Bawa Singh group – were killed and seven injured in the exchange of fire which erupted over a dispute of 3-kanal agricultural land.

According to the police, at present Bawa Singh was in the possession of land while Nawab Singh was adamant to take the possession. Yesterday, when Nawab Singh along with several armed persons went to the spot the other group opposed their move. Jasdeep Singh, SSP, Amritsar rural police, said the injured were undergoing treatment at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital. He said around 14 persons were taken into custody while raids were being conducted to nab the other culprits.