Twenty four years old trader shot dead’ by ASI friend

Patiala, March 18: A 24-year-old businessman, Sarpreet Singh alias Jugnu, was reportedly shot dead by an Assistant Superintendent of Poli...

Patiala, March 18: A 24-year-old businessman, Sarpreet Singh alias Jugnu, was reportedly shot dead by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASI), who is the son of a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, in the Model Town area last night.

According to police sources, the deceased along with ASI Guriqbal Singh, working in the 36 Battalion of the Punjab Armed Police and posted at Bahadurgarh, near here, were business partners supplying pharmaceutical goods to government institutions. Though they had no formal partnership, it is believed that Guriqbal Singh alias Sonu, who is also aged about 24, was unofficially helping him in his business.

According to sources, Jugnu and Sonu had gone to Chandigarh yesterday and had returned late in the evening. They are said to have gone to the residence of Sonu, who is the son of Gurdarshan Singh, a retired DIG from the Indian Reserve Battalion. They said that when Jugnu did not return to his place till 9 p.m., his father, Dr Surinder Singh Nanda, who has authored several books on political science, along with his cousin, Narjit Singh, went to the retired DIG’s residence to inquire about Jugnu’s whereabouts.

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Sources said when the two reached the DIG’s residence, they heard Jugnu having an argument with Sonu. As they were climbing the stairs to the room, they heard a shot being fired and a shriek. Even before they could reach the room, they heard another shot being fired. When they reached the room, they found Jugnu lying dead on the bed and Sonu standing with his .38 bore service revolver in his hand. The two overpowered Sonu and informed the police, who reached the spot soon after, it is learnt.

Jugnu and Sonu, according to sources, were having strained business relations. A half-empty whisky bottle and two empty glasses were also found from the room where the crime allegedly took place. The police have registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC. Jugnu’s body was cremated late this evening after a post-mortem. Sonu’s parents are reported to be away to Patna. Gurdev Singh, one of his uncles, said he had been told that the revolver lying in the room went off accidentally when the deceased was fiddling with it. He maintained that his nephew had taken Jugnu to a nearby nursing home. However, Prof Nanda contested the views.