Gangster’s ‘aide’ shot dead in Faridkot encounter

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, May 26

A 24-year-old Muktsar resident, Ajmer Singh alias Jimmy Sidhu, was killed in a police encounter near Dabri Khana village on the Kotkapura-Bathinda road here late last night.

The police claimed that Jimmy was a member of a criminals’ gang operating in Malwa, but his family members accused the police of killing him in a staged encounter on the directions of an influential liquor contractor.

Faridkot SSP SS Mann said they got a tip-off that a gangsters’ car was on its way to Zeeda village in Bathinda district, following which a police party from Jaitu intercepted the vehicle. The car-borne men fired at the cops. In the retaliatory firing, Jimmy was shot at, Mann said. The police claimed that a Bolero reached the spot and helped the gangsters flee with an injured Jimmy.

According to the police, Jimmy was accompanying gangsters Ranjit Singh alias Rana Sidhu of Muktsar and Davinder Singh of Thandewala village (Muktsar). They said Rana and Davinder were facing 10 and two criminal cases, respectively, at various police stations in the area, even though no case had been filed against Jimmy. The police further claimed that the car in which Jimmy was travelling was used by Ranjeet to help a gangster escape from police custody in March 2014.

Jimmy’s father Gurtej Singh said, “He was a contender for liquor vends at Zeeda village, so he was killed at the behest of a politically well-connected liquor contractor.” He alleged that the vehicle used by the police during the ‘encounter’ belonged to the contractor. The police admitted that it was a private vehicle, without giving any details, while claiming that cartridges and a firearm were recovered from the spot. A case of attempt of murder was registered against the car-borne accused, even as four persons were rounded up.

Jimmy’s mother Manjit Kaur said she got a call around 11 pm yesterday from her son, who told her that he was being chased by the police. “My son was returning from his in-laws’ house at Zeeda village. I sent some of his friends, who found him lying on the road,” she claimed.

She said his friends took Jimmy to the Bathinda Civil Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Manjit Kaur claimed that these youths were arrested on the charge of firing at a police party.

Jimmy’s post-mortem examination could not be conducted at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital here today as the family members demanded a murder case against the guilty cops and the release of his four friends.

The SSP said the police had written to the district magistrate for a magisterial inquiry into the incident.