Tension prevailed for the second day in Sahipur Village under Khanpur police station of Haridwar district on Tuesday, after a person was shot dead and two others sustained injuries when two groups clashed over lifting soil from a field on Monday noon. Police claim that the situation is now under control.
Police said that the altercation began when 65-year-old Mukhtar Singh of a particular community objected to Sadhuwa Singh of another community lifting soil from his field. They fought each other over the matter and threatened to 'tackle one another'. Mukhtar Singh was against soil being taken from his field.
The two groups reached the village and Mukhtar's brother also reached the spot on hearing of the clash. Police said that members of Sadhuwa's community reached the village before Mukhtar's kinsmen. As he reached the village, persons accompanying Sadhuwa Singh allegedly opened fire at Mukhtar Singh killing him on the spot while his brothers Puran Singh and Angrej Singh sustained pellet injuries, police said. Anyhow, Angrej called up the local police station and informed about the incident.
Station officer Khanpur Praveen Singh reached the spot. In the meantime, SP (Rural) Ajay Singh and CO laksar, Manoj Kumar Katyal received the information and reached the spot. Sensing the tension in the village, Katyal immediately asked for heavy police force that was deployed in the village as a preventive measure.
In the meantime, Angrej and Puran Singh were rushed to government hospital laksar while the body of Mukhtar Singh was sent for post mortem examination after completion of formalities. Police registered a case in the matter against five persons, including Sadhuwa, Monu, Raju, Mukesh and one another man allegedly involved in committing the crime.
Katyal said, “A massive search has been launched to ensure arrest of the accused in the case. Heavy police force has been deployed in the village as a preventive measure”. He, however, said that though tension prevailed in the village, situation was completely under control.
Station officer Singh said that search was on and the accused involved in the incident would be arrested soon.