Cong nominee for Block Samiti polls shot dead in Punjab

Tarn Taran SSP Raj Jit Singh said the murder was the result of a dispute between two factions of the Congress. “I have been told that Sarwan Singh was the Congress chief of Patti block but was removed after he supported a party leader who was also an aspirant for a 2012 Assembly poll ticket,which eventually went to Harminder Gill. Though Sarwan was removed as block president of Patti,he continues to be primary member of the party,” he said.

When contacted,Patti DSP Jagdish Singh said: “Sukhraj was shot with a 12 bore gun from point blank range on his back. His father Daljit Singh was also attacked and sustained injuries. We are verifying who among the three accused opened fire.”

Sukhraj was to set contest ensuing block samiti polls as a Congress candidate. According to Punjab Youth Congress chief Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary,Sukhraj had just returned on Wednesday after getting his papers scrutinized and was heading to participate in a religious function at the gurdwara. Chaudhary added he had been told that as the victim was still breathing after he was shot at,the accused attacked him with sharp-edged weapons.

In a press statement,Chaudhary blamed “Akali leader Sarwan Singh” for the “cold blooded murder”,which “once again exposed total failure of law and order in Punjab where Akalis are killing Congress workers…”

Congress leader from Patti,Harminder Singh Gill,too blamed SAD for the murder. “The accused were supporters of an Akali big gun. While weapons from Congressmen are being deposited in the run up to the block samiti polls,Akali leaders and activists are freely roaming with weapons. Sukhraj was a very promising leader and those who have murdered him are SAD supporters,” he added.

When contacted,SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said he was not aware of the incident. “Law will take its own course and the guilty will face action irrespective of the party they belonged to. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal has already made his stand clear that elections should be held in a fair manner and he will not tolerate anyone raising a finger on SAD,” he added.