By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide
Chandigarh, India: The Punjab Police have cracked the murder case of former Valtoha sarpanch Jharmal Singh within days, arresting seven accused, including two shooters, in what officials described as a major blow to organised crime in the state. The arrests mark a decisive action against the gang led by gangster Prabh Dasuwal, who has been identified as the mastermind behind the killing.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav reiterated Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s “zero tolerance” policy against organised crime, warning that criminals operating in Punjab “will not be able to hide even in hell”. He asserted that anyone involved in violence would be tracked down from any corner, within or outside the country, and brought to justice.
Police investigations have revealed that the murder was committed due to old enmity, indicating a pre-planned and targeted conspiracy. Addressing the media along with senior officers, including ADGP Counter Intelligence Amit Prasad, IGP Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill and Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, the DGP said the swift breakthrough reflected the Punjab Police’s firm resolve to dismantle organised crime networks.
The arrested accused have been identified as Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga (20) of Thakkarpura in Tarn Taran; Karamjeet Singh (23) of village Passanwal in Gurdaspur; Jobanpreet Singh (19) of village Bhai Ladhu in Tarn Taran; Harpreet Singh alias Happy (27) of village Bahadur Nagar in Tarn Taran; Jobanpreet Singh (20); Kulwinder Singh alias Kinda (20); and Armandeep Singh (18), the latter three from village Kalsian Kalan in Tarn Taran.
According to police, Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga has a prior criminal record involving theft and Arms Act cases and was also linked to an earlier sarpanch murder. Investigations revealed that Prabh Dasuwal had previously fired at the deceased, clearly establishing a long-standing rivalry and a well-orchestrated plot.
The DGP said multiple specialised teams were formed, and the investigation relied on technical surveillance and human intelligence to identify the shooters. Sustained inter-state coordination, along with support from Central agencies and the Chhattisgarh Police, led to the arrest of the two shooters from Raipur. The accused had reportedly been moving across several states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, while using forged Aadhaar cards to evade arrest.
The remaining five accused were arrested from Mohali, Valtoha and the Bhikhiwind area of Tarn Taran. Police said they played a crucial role by providing logistics, shelter, weapons and a motorcycle used in the crime. Investigators also revealed that the shooters and logistical supporters did not know each other and acted independently on the instructions of Prabh Dasuwal.
Referring to the state’s broader law-and-order strategy, the DGP said that following the anti-drug campaign “Yudh Nashian Virudh”, the Punjab government is preparing a focused crackdown on organised crime, including efforts to extradite criminals based abroad.
“Whoever indulges in violence or shootings in Punjab will be nabbed from anywhere, within or outside the country, and made to face the law,” the DGP said, underscoring the government’s commitment to eliminating organised crime from the state.
