On September 19, a local kabaddi player named Hardeep Singh alias Deepa was murdered by unknown assailants and his mutilated body was thrown outside his house in Dhilwan tehsil in Punjab’s Kapurthala district.
Hardeep was attacked by sharp-edged weapons, including swords and then dumped in front of his residence. The perpetrators also taunted the player’s parents after the murder.
In a complaint filed with the police, the deceased’s father Gurnam Singh said Hardeep had a dispute with Harpreet Singh Happy, also a resident of Dhilwan. As per the complaint, on the evening of September 20, Hardeep left with his bank documents. At around 10:30 PM, someone knocked at their gate following which Gurnam Singh and his wife went to the terrace and saw Harpreet Singh along with five unknown individuals assaulting their son. They left after announcing that they have killed Hardeep, the father said in his complaint.
Personal enmity is reportedly the reason behind the crime. Hardeep had an argument with another man in the neighbourhood named Harpreet Singh alias Happy. The investigating officer, Kuldeep Singh, informed that numerous cases had been filed against them at the Dhilwan Police station. He informed, “Based on the father’s complaint, a case of murder has been registered against Happy and his five associates.”
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Aam Aadmi Party government has come under fire from Sukhbir Singh Badal of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) who charged that there was a “Jungle Raj” in the state. Badal further asked the chief minister to step down.
The president of Shiromani Akali Dal stated, “Shocked to learn about the brutal killing of a young Kabaddi player at vill Dhilwan in Kapurthala. See the level of fearlessness of the murderers; they knocked at the door and told the parents, ‘We killed your brave son.’ This isn’t an isolated incident. There is complete Jungle Raj prevailing in Punjab, where murders, loot, snatchings and robberies are becoming an everyday affair.”
Shocked to learn about the brutal killing of a young Kabaddi player at vill Dhilwan in Kapurthala. See the level of fearlessness of the murderers; they knocked at the door and told the parents: "Aah maar ditta tuhada Sher putt". This isn't an isolated incident. There is complete… pic.twitter.com/myulUOWFvJ
— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) September 22, 2023
The Firozpur MP tagged the chief minister’s official account and added, “It’s a proven fact that Bhagwant Mann is unable to handle the situation. He should step down without any further delay.”
