Murder in Uttarakhand gurdwara: FIR against ex-IAS officer, 4 others
Five people, including a retired IAS officer, have been booked in connection with the murder of a gurdwara chief in Uttarakhand. Baba Tarsem Singh, the Dera Kar Seva Pramukh of Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara, was fatally shot on the shrine's premises on Thursday. He later died. The five individuals booked have been identified as IAS officer Harbans Singh Chugh, who heads the Nanakmatta Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee; Baba Anup Singh; Pritam Singh Sandhu; and the two assailants—Sarabjit Singh and Amarjeet Singh.
Suspect claimed responsibility for murder
Following the incident, one of the suspects, Sarabjit, had claimed responsibility for the murder. According to the police, he has a criminal record that includes over 13 charges, including attempted murder under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act. The majority of the cases against him are registered in Tarn Taran. He shot Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politician Harjit Singh in Tarn Taran several months ago, and the police had filed a murder charge against him.
Motive behind the murder unknown
While the police are looking into the motive for the murder, local reports said that Singh expressed concerns about his safety during a news appearance in February. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar stated that the state Special Task Force (STF) and local police were investigating the murder as a "top priority." He stated that the police were not only looking to identify the assailants, but also to unearth any bigger "conspiracy" behind the murder.