NAWANSHAHR, May 16– A gangster wanted in a recent murder case was injured in a police encounter in Kataria village on Friday. Police said the accused, Baljit Singh, opened fire on a police team during a raid and was shot in the leg in retaliatory fire.
Singh, a resident of Mandhali village, was rushed to the Nawanshahr government hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr. Mehtab Singh, the incident unfolded after a tip-off was received about Baljit Singh’s location near a drain on the outskirts of the village.
“When the team reached the spot, Baljit fired two shots at the police with his pistol. In self-defence, our personnel responded with controlled fire, during which he sustained a bullet injury to his leg,” the SSP said.
Police investigations have linked Singh to the murder of Prem Singh, who was allegedly killed with a sharp-edged weapon during the night of May 9–10.
Investigators believe the killing was a contract hit arranged by Dharminder Singh, another resident of Mandhali village, currently based in Canada.
“Initial findings indicate that Dharminder Singh had arranged for the murder from abroad. We are probing the contract killing angle thoroughly,” Dr. Mehtab Singh added.
Authorities confirmed that Baljit Singh has seven previous criminal cases registered against him under various sections.
Police have launched a detailed investigation into the murder-for-hire network and other potential accomplices.
