The wailing wife of deceased Ravinder Kumar Rikki who was murdered on his first marriage anniversary at Sultanpur Lodhi. Tribune Photos: Malkiat Singh

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, December 15

Celebration turned into tragedy for a family at Sultanpur Lodhi here late last night.

As the family was planning to celebrate the first marriage anniversary of their son Ravinder Kumar Rikki, a minor brawl took place on the preceding night, which led to his murder.

The deceased, who is a resident of Mohalla Lalriyan, was having dinner with his brother and friend at Canadian Dhaba on Lord Krishna Road. Accused Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, his brother Jaspal Singh and brother-in-law Onkar Singh, too, were reportedly having dinner at the same dhaba with his brother and friend. A minor argument between the two groups took place at the eatery.

Amandeep, brother of the deceased, said: “As Harpreet and his group also came out. He was in an inebriated condition and began hurling abuses. He immediately opened his Tata Nexon (PB-09-A-5555) and took out a sword. He came towards my brother, began slapping him and threatened to eliminate him. In a matter of seconds, he again went inside his car, started it, took it forward and then again brought it in reverse crushing my brother and hitting his friend.” Harpreet died on way to the hospital.

The Sultanpur Lodhi police claimed to have arrested the accused brothers Harpreet and Jaspal Singh of Mohalla Pandori and recovered their car used in the crime. SHO Sultanpur Lodhi said the accused fled after the crime, but were arrested within 20 hours. Third accused Onkar Singh of Saiflabad is still at large.

Meanwhile, a pall of gloom descended at the house of the victim. DSP Sultanpur Lodhi Sarwan Singh Bal and SHO Harjeet Singh said there were three-four more youth involved in the murder and their identity was yet to be known.

“The victim had an outlet of tyre repair and puncture. The accused ran his computer-related work. Both accused and victim had got into an altercation a few days back as well. As a new eatery had opened in town, the accused reportedly followed the victim with an intention to murder him as he was carrying a sword in his car,” the DSP said. The body of the accused has been kept in mortuary.