New Delhi: One of the assailants, who allegedly shot dead the Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara dera kar seva chief last month, was killed in an encounter with the Special Task Force in Haridwar district early on Tuesday, police said.
The confrontation ensued following the deadly attack on Baba Tarsem Singh, who was shot dead on March 28 by two motorcycle-borne assailants at the shrine's premises in Udham Singh Nagar district. The police said another accused fled the spot and a search is underway to nab him.
In a dramatic turn of events, an encounter unfolded in Haridwar's Bhagwanpur area past midnight when police attempted to stop two motorcycle-borne individuals, suspected in the murder case of the Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara dera kar seva chief. Despite police orders to halt, the duo fled towards Kaliyar, prompting a high-speed chase.
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During the pursuit, an exchange of fire occurred, resulting in Amarjeet Singh alias Bittu sustaining injuries, while the other accused, Sarabjit Singh, managed to flee. Amarjeet Singh was rushed to Roorkee Civil Hospital, where medical authorities pronounced him dead.
Senior law enforcement officials, including Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Doval, promptly reached the spot. Currently, teams of the Special Task Force (STF) and local police are engaged in an extensive manhunt for Sarabjit Singh.
Meanwhile, beyond the primary suspects, retired IAS officer Harbans Singh Chugh, Nanakmatta Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee head Baba Anup Singh, and regional Sikh outfit vice-president Pritam Singh Sandhu have also been implicated in the murder investigation.
As per NDTV report, Amarjit Singh alias Bittu, a shooter with ₹ 1 lakh bounty on his head, was killed while his accomplice fled, Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Abhinav Kumar said.
The Uttarakhand STF and Haridwar Police have launched a joint operation to arrest the absconding accused, the DGP said.