Moga man held for firing at rival group

Ludhiana: The police on Saturday evening arrested a 25-year-old man for opening fire at a rival group in a Ludhiana village a day before. Amritpal Singh Goora, a resident of Moga’s Bukan Wala Road, was arrested from his hometown.
A day before, police had registered an attempt to murder case against Amritpal, Gurtej Singh, also a resident of Moga, Harinderpal Singh, Gurman Singh, Jagwinder Singh and Guramrit Singh, all of Chakar village, on the complaint of Gurpreet Singh Gopa of Mallha village, here.
Gurpreet told the police that he along with his three friends had gone to a liquor vend in his village on Friday night. “There, Amritpal and his friends started arguing with us. When we were returning home, Amritpal and his friends started following us in two cars around 9.15pm. A few minutes later, they fired two shots at us with a country-made pistol. We had a narrow escape.”
Amritpal, a private firm employee, and his friends then attacked them with iron rods. “They held a grudge against us since the 2018 sarpanch elections,” he added.
On Gurpreet’s complaint, police had booked Amritpal and his friends under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act.
Investigating officer ASI Parwinder Singh said, “While Amritpal has been arrested, raids are being conducted to arrest the other accused. Amritpal claimed that he too was attacked, therefore a cross-FIR will be registered.”
Police officials said it was found during preliminary investigation that Gurpreet, 25, and his three friends entered into a scrap with Amritpal over a petty issue and beat him up at the liquor vend. After Gurpreet and his friends left, Amritpal called up his aides, including Gurman and Jagwinder, who fired shots at them.
“After we make more arrests, we will ascertain from where they had procured the illegal weapon,” the ASI added.
Another cop said, “Gurpreet, who is unemployed, was earlier booked in a snatching case.”