A soldier deputed with the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu & Kashmir shot dead four people, including three from his family, and injured four others in Hassanpur village near Dhuri town of Sangrur district on Tuesday. Sepoy Jagdeep Singh, 26, was later killed in an exchange of fire with police after he refused to surrender.
Jagdeep, a bachelor, had come home over 20 days ago. Police said a land dispute in the family appeared to be the reason behind the shooting.
The soldier first targeted his US-based elder brother’s wife, Gurpreet Kaur, 24, chasing her for half-a-kilometre on the village street wielding his newly bought double-barrelled gun. “On seeing him approach, Gurpreet took shelter in someone’s house some distance away,” said Balkar Singh, deputy inspector general (DIG), Patiala Police range. “But Jagdeep cornered her there and killed her.”
From there, Jagdeep went to the house of his father’s elder brother. “There he killed his uncle’s wife, Labh Kaur, and his 16-year-old grandson Harmandeep Singh,” the DIG said. “He also fired at his cousin Harjinder Singh (Harman’s father), but the latter managed to escape.”
Jagdeep then went towards his neighbour’s house and fired at one Tarsem Singh of Ranike village, who was passing through the street, leaving him injured. He then shot dead his neighbour Karnail Kaur, who was in her late 50s.
He also fired at his relatives Gurmeet Kaur and Navinder Singh, injuring them. Jagdeep then took position on a first-floor room of his house.
“When police arrived at 1.15pm, he began firing at them at short intervals,” said Sangrur SP (detective) Jaskiranjit Singh Teja, who led the police team to the room where the soldier was hiding. “After all attempts to get him to surrender failed, we sought permission from Sangrur deputy commissioner to enter the house around 3pm.” The surrender requests were made on a gurdwara loudspeaker and on Jagdeep’s cellphone.
Sources claimed the accused died in police firing. But Sangrur SSP Pritpal Singh said only an autopsy report would reveal whether he committed suicide or died in police firing.
DIG Balkar said preliminary investigation revealed the family had sold some land to Jagdeep’s uncle to send his elder brother Gurdeep Singh to the US about two years ago. “The family spent around Rs 20-25 lakh to send Gurdeep to the US and sold their land, which appears to have triggered the row,” said Balkar.
All the four injured were referred to Patiala’s Rajindra Hospital.
source: TOI
