Two weeks after lynching, main accused surrenders

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 24

Over two weeks after Vinod Kumar alias Monu Arora, a suspected drug peddler, was lynched at Bhagi Vander village, the main accused, Amrinder Singh Raju, surrendered before the police today.

Accompanied by his supporters, Raju reached the Talwandi Sabo DSP’s office in an open jeep.

Monu, whose limbs were chopped off by assailants, had died at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot, on June 8. Sarpanch Charanjeet Kaur and other villagers had alleged that he was a drug peddler.

After a protest by Monu’s kin, the police had booked 13 persons, including Charanjeet Kaur and her sons Amrinder Singh Raja and Binder Singh, under Sections 302, 364, 341, 186, 120-B, 148 and 149 of the IPC.

Addressing mediapersons, Raju said, “Monu was a drug peddler who misbehaved with village girls. We approached the police many times, but to no avail. The whole village is responsible for his murder.”

DSP Barinder Singh Gill said the accused had killed Monu over a dispute.