Both the groups engaged in firing, in which a bullet hit 16-year-old Lovpreet Verma, who later died, police said. (Representational image)A 16-year-old boy died and three others were injured including one critically, in a clash between two group during a pre-wedding function in Kotkapura town of Punjab’s Faridkot district, police said Sunday.
The incident took place Saturday night during the ‘jago’ ceremony – a pre-wedding ritual where relatives of the bride and the groom, at their respective residences, stay up all night – of one Gurjit Singh’s son. The function had been organised in a tent set up on a road near Gurjit Singh’s residence in Jodian Chakian area of Kotkapura.
A group, led by one Ankush Arora, was consuming liquor at the function, when another group, led by one Prince Kumar Tuti, started firing at them police said
Prince was accompanied by Ranjodh and Gurlal while Ankush was with Kala Mucchal and Sukhjinder Singh. Both the groups engaged in firing, in which a bullet hit 16-year-old Lovpreet Verma, who later died, police said
Lovepreet’s gandfather Vinod Verma said his grandson was declared brought dead by Kotkapura hospital authorities. Ankush was seriously injured and had been admitted to a hospital in Ludhiana, police said, adding that Gurlal and Ranjodh were also injured and admitted to Faridkot Medical College
Police booked Prince, Ranjodh, Gurlal and gangster Bhola Shooter, who is currently lodged in Faridkot jail, for murder, attempt to murder an under Arms Act. SSP Rajbachan Singh Sandhu said, “We have lodged an FIR and investigation in the case is on. Phone call details of Prince and his accomplices show that they were in touch with Bhola. Prince is absconding while his aides are under police custody and in hospital”
“Ankush and Prince have a history of rivalry. It is, however, surprising that they chose a wedding function to settle scores,” the SSP said.
Interestingly, it needs to be mentioned that use of arms is banned in wedding functions, but, both groups had rivolvers with them, which were used at impunity in the function thus spoiling the entire function of Gurjit Singh.
