A Mohali court sentenced Gurdeep Singh and his father, Mahinder Singh, of Salempur Nagal village in Banur, to life imprisonment in an eight-year-old murder case. Both were convicted of murder and criminal conspiracy. Two other accused, Sukhchain Singh and Sandeep Kaur, were acquitted due to lack of evidence, while another, Mehboob Khan, remains at large. Sandeep Kaur pleaded innocence and stated that she was in the hospital with her ailing daughter that day.
The case dates back to October 5, 2017, and involved a family and land dispute. Jarnail Singh, father of the deceased, Jatinder Singh alias Gola, and Mahinder Singh had a fight over their cattle entering their fields. Villagers brokered a compromise, but the dispute flared up again the next day. Gurdeep Singh abused Jatinder Singh over the phone and even threatened to kill him. Jatinder was on his way to the police station to file a complaint when Gurdeep Singh, along with his companions, tried to hit his motorcycle on the road in his car. The accused then got out of the car and attacked Jatinder with sharp weapons and kicked and punched him, killing him on the spot. Mohali police seized blood-soaked soil, vehicles, and other evidence from the scene. Forensic tests revealed human blood on the weapons. Based on the statements of 22 witnesses and evidence, the police found both men guilty. A search is now underway for the absconding accused.
