The police on Tuesday arrested three more persons in connection with the murder of a 27-year-old Dalit man in Abohar, whose limbs were chopped off by suspected henchmen of a liquor baron even as the Centre announced compensation of Rs5 lakh for the victim’s family.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla visited the family of Bhim Sain and announced the financial assistance. He also met senior police officials including IG, DIG, SSP and sought arrest of those who were involved in the alleged murder of Sain.
With the arrests, four persons have been held so far in connection with the alleged murder of Sain by suspected henchmen of liquor baron and Akali leader Shiv lal Doda.
The three arrested were identified as Harpreet Harry, Radheyshaym and Gulab, said Chahal, adding that they were nabbed from lalru, near Chandigarh. Another person, identified as Vicky, was arrested on Monday from Rajasthan.
Suspected henchmen of Doda allegedly chopped off the limbs of Sain in the attack led by one Harpreet Harry after a heated exchange broke out between Sain and Harry on Friday night at a farm house in Abohar subdivision area.
Police had booked several persons including Harry, Raja, Radheyshyam, Wazir, Gulab, Chhajju, Simran, Happy and some unidentified persons under various sections, including Section 302 (murder), of the IPC in connection with murder.
Police presented the arrested accused before the local court which sent them to seven days police remand, said Fazilka SSP Indermohan Singh Bhatti. Police maintained that this incident was a fall-out of "gang rivalry" between Bhim Sain and other group. "There was an old enmity between both the groups," Bhatti said.
Police said the deceased Bhim Sain and his friend Gurjant Singh Janta were also facing criminal cases including 307 (attempt to murder).
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla visited the family of the victims at Abohar on Tuesday and also announced financial assistance of Rs5 lakh for the family members of Sain.
Minister also met the senior police officials including IG, DIG, SSP among others in connection with this case and sought arrest of those who were involved in the "murder" of Sain.
"I have asked police to take strict action against those who were involved in the killing of Bhim Sain. There should not be any leniency against anyone involved in this case how influential he may be," said Sampla while pointing towards Shiv lal Doda.
However, the Union Minister rejected the police’s argument that the incident was the result of a gang war between the two factions. "He (Bhim) had earlier been working with him (Shiv lal Doda)...He was asked to come to his farmhouse. There was no gang war...There was an ill-intention behind his murder. Gang war takes place when two groups engage in fight face-to-face," claimed Sampla.
Doda had contested the 2012 Punjab Assembly polls as an Independent from Abohar and lost to Congress candidate Sunil Jakhar.