Probe under scanner

Amit Sharma 

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21 

The murder of a rickshaw- puller in Sector 21 on Tuesday with glaring similarities to the murder of another rickshaw-puller that took place last month in Sector 17, has raised questions over the investigations of Chandigarh police that had recently arrested a man for the Sector 17 incident on the basis of his confession. 

The rickshaw puller, identified as Sattan, a native of Gorakhpur, was found lying in a pool of blood in the corridor of the Sector 21 market on Tuesday morning. His throat appeared to have been slit with a sharp weapon. 

In a similar manner, another rickshaw-puller, identified as Sukh Ram, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was found murdered on May 29. His throat had also been slit in the same manner while he was asleep in the corridor of the market. 

Later, on June 16, a team from the Sector 17 police station had arrested one Surajgiri Goswami (20), a native of Uttarakhand who was staying in Kaimbwala. 

The police had claimed that the accused was held on the basis of a tip-off. Police said the accused had confessed having murdered the rickshaw puller. Apart from the confession of the accused, there was no other evidence with the police.  

However, the murder of a second rickshaw-puller with a similar modus operandi has raised questions over the police investigation. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a police official said the method was the same.