Punjab police foil contract killing attempt, two held with pistol

Punjab Police have thwarted a major attempt of contract killing with the arrest of two persons and recovering a 0.32 bore pistol along with one magazine and four live cartridges from their possession, officials said on Tuesday.

The arrested persons have been identified as Tarandeep Singh alias Laddi of Jaito in Faridkot, and Kuldeep Singh alias Kali of Sri Muktsar Sahib.

Both the arrested accused are history-sheeter and wanted by the Punjab Police for different criminal offences, the police said.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that in operation led by the Counter Intelligence Unit of Muktsar Sahib, Police teams have arrested both the accused persons, who were hatching a conspiracy to kill a Malout-based person on directions of a USA-based Niranjan Singh alias Nick.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the accused Niranjan Singh wanted to settle scores with his relative and had paid Tarandeep Singh and Kuldeep Singh to kill him.

The accused Tarandeep Singh had bought the pistol and ammunition from Madhya Pradesh to commit the contract killing, DGP said.

Adding more details, AIG Counter Intelligence Bathinda zone Simratpal Singh Dhindsa said that accused Niranjan Singh has sent at least Rs 2.50 lakh to the bank of Tarandeep Singh's mother for purchasing weapons from MP and other expenses incurred to accomplish the task.

Further investigations are on, he dded.

A case under section 25 of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused people at Police Station SSOC Fazilka.

( With inputs from ANI )