Truck driver robbed of Rs 9 lakh, killed on highway

Our Correspondent

Raikot, March 3

Robbers snatched Rs 9 lakh in cash from a truck driver after killing him near Chaukimaan village on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

The incident took place when the victim, Inderjit Singh of Landey Ke, was returning from Mandi Gobindgarh after delivering a consignment of metal scrap. The miscreants had targeted him as they knew that he was carrying the cash.

Though the police are yet to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the murder, it is suspected that the accused had sprinkled chili powder in the eyes of the victim before attacking him with sharp weapons.

Investigation by a joint team of the CIA wing, headed by DSP (D) Rajesh Sharma, and Jagraon Circle Police, led by DSP Jatinder Singh, revealed that a firm of Moga dealing in metal scrap had deployed Inderjit to transport a consignment in the company truck to Gobindgarh on Monday morning.

He had informed the employers about the receipt of Rs 9 lakh from the scrap purchasers.

He remained in touch with his family members and employers till he reached near Chaukimaan in the evening.

Having lost connection with Inderjit, the firm owners started searching for him and the vehicle late in the night. Later on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, the truck was found stationed on a highway. The body of the victim was lying in the vehicle.

The police said an FIR under Section 302 of the IPC had been registered on the statement of deceased’s son Pardeep Singh late last evening. The police claimed to have tightened the noose around the accused on the basis of information collected from various sources, including footage of CCTV cameras.

“We have almost completed the investigation and the accused would soon be arrested. We cannot divulge details now, as it might hamper the progress of the case,” said the DSP (D).