An accused in the murder of an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) was killed in a police encounter in Amritsar on Saturday night, while his alleged accomplice managed to escape, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Deepak Singh, a resident of Mulechak village in Amritsar. Police identified him as one of the two men allegedly involved in the shooting of ASI Harjit Singh at Bhagtanwala grain market on the intervening night of September 17 and 18.
According to police, the accused were traced using CCTV footage, technical evidence, tower-dump analysis, local intelligence and information from human sources.
How The Encounter Took Place
Police said a team signalled two men riding a scooter to stop at a checkpoint at around 9:45 pm on Saturday. The suspects allegedly opened fire and fled towards another checkpoint.
At the next checkpoint, the suspects allegedly fired four rounds at the police team. Officers returned fire, saying they acted in self-defence, according to police.
During the exchange of gunfire in the Islamabad police station area, Deepak sustained bullet injuries. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The second suspect escaped, taking advantage of the darkness. Police said a search operation was underway to trace him. Police also recovered a pistol, two magazines and eight cartridges from the spot.
Police Officer Saved By Bulletproof Jacket
According to the police account, one of the bullets fired by the suspects hit a Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) personnel in the chest. The officer survived because he was wearing a bulletproof jacket.
The police said the suspects had fired at their team during the chase, following which officers retaliated.
Police Suspect Pakistan-Based Handlers
Amritsar Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill said the investigation had pointed towards alleged links with handlers based across the border in Pakistan.
According to the police, these handlers allegedly lure young people in Punjab with money and drugs and use them to carry out attacks. Investigators suspect that the killing of ASI Harjit Singh was part of such a network.
Police are also examining the accused’s mobile phones to gather more information about the alleged handlers and the wider network.
Accused Allegedly Returned To Crime Scene
Police said the accused allegedly returned to the spot after shooting the ASI and recorded a video lasting around 30 to 40 seconds.
Investigators suspect that the video was made to send proof of the attack to their handlers across the border. The alleged activity was also captured on CCTV cameras, according to police.
Police Appeal To Parents
Commissioner Gill appealed to young people to stay away from criminal networks and urged parents to keep a close watch on their children’s activities.
He said that ASI Harjit Singh had joined the police force as a constable and worked his way up to the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector.
The officer is survived by his family, including two daughters and a young son. Police said efforts were continuing to arrest the second suspect and investigate the alleged cross-border links.