Punjab Police Crack AAP Sarpanch Murder Case with Seven Arrests
Punjab Police have successfully cracked the January 4 murder case of AAP's Valtoha sarpanch, Jarmal Singh. The police announced the arrest of seven individuals on Monday, including two shooters directly involved in the killing.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav addressed a press conference in Chandigarh to reveal the breakthrough. He identified Prabh Dasuwal, a gangster suspected to be hiding in Portugal, as the mastermind behind the murder. According to the DGP, Dasuwal plotted the crime due to a personal grudge and assigned specific tasks to different modules.
Shooters Arrested in Tech-Based Operation
The two assailants, Sukhraj Singh (20) from Thakarpura village in Tarn Taran district and Karamjeet Singh (23) from Passanwal village in Gurdaspur district, were arrested in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on Sunday. This arrest resulted from a sophisticated tech-based operation that received assistance from central agencies and police forces across multiple states, including Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
After obtaining transit remand until January 14, authorities brought the shooters to Amritsar by flight. DGP Yadav disclosed that Sukhraj Singh had a prior criminal record involving theft, violations under the Arms Act, and a murder case.
Logistical Supporters Apprehended
In a separate joint operation on Sunday, teams from the State Special Operation Cell in Mohali and counter-intelligence units apprehended two logistical supporters. Both individuals are named Jobanpreet Singh, aged 19 and 20, and hail from Tarn Taran district.
Following an extensive analysis of CCTV footage covering an area of 110 kilometers, Tarn Taran police arrested three more accused on Monday. These individuals include Kulwinder Singh Kinda (20), Armandeep Singh (18), both residents of Kalsian Kalan, and Harpreet Singh (27) from Bahadur Nagar in Tarn Taran. Police accuse them of providing shelter and logistical support to the shooters.
Details of the Murder
Jarmal Singh was shot dead on January 4 during a wedding function at the Marigold Resort in Amritsar. Video footage from the scene shows two unmasked men entering the venue. One of them pulled out a weapon and fired a bullet at point-blank range into the head of the unsuspecting sarpanch, who was sitting with others at the time. The assailants then fled the location.
Later that same day, a purported social media post appeared claiming responsibility for the murder. Gangster Prabh Dasuwal, along with Donny Bal and others, posted the claim. They stated that the murder was carried out by "our younger brother Ganga Thakarpuria."
DGP Yadav confirmed that authorities are investigating security lapses related to the incident and will fix appropriate responsibility for any failures.
Related Encounter and Broader Police Strategy
On January 6, police killed Harnur, also known as Noor, in an encounter at Bhikhiwind. Police suspect he played a role in reconnaissance and planning the murder.
During the press conference, DGP Gaurav Yadav made several important announcements about Punjab Police's future strategy. He asserted that the police would soon wage a focused war against organized crime, similar to their ongoing war against drugs. Yadav emphasized that criminals operating from abroad would be brought back to face the law in Punjab through extradition or deportation.
"The entire ecosystem of crime would be identified and busted in an end-to-end manner. No criminal enterprise will be spared," the DGP declared. He added, "Anyone who commits a crime in Punjab will be chased to every nook and cranny of the country."
Addressing Other Crime Issues
The DGP also commented on the murders of kabaddi players in Punjab. He noted that unorganized sectors like the music industry and kabaddi are vulnerable to crime penetration. "We will pay special attention to protect them and restore the pristine glory of the traditional sport of Punjab," Yadav stated.
Regarding recent email bomb threats to schools and district court complexes, the DGP acknowledged that police have so far failed to identify the people behind these threats. "We have not achieved much success so far, as proxy servers and VPN are used. It is a national issue; such emails have been reported in other states also," he explained.
Response to Political Allegations
In an unrelated matter, DGP Yadav denied receiving any letter from Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar requesting forensic verification of a viral video. The video allegedly shows objectionable conduct by the chief minister. "As per law, the work is clearly cut out. The DGP's role is of policy making," he clarified.
The DGP also addressed the FIR filed into a doctored video of former Delhi chief minister Atishi. He denied that the investigation was politically motivated. "Punjab Police conducts merit-based investigations in a fair manner. I don't want to further comment on this issue," Yadav stated. He declined to answer queries about a notice served by the Delhi assembly for alleged breach of House privileges.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had accused the BJP on Sunday of "playing politics of hatred using religion" by circulating the doctored video. The CM stated that a forensic investigation clearly established that Atishi never used the word "Guru" in the video.
