Khanna: ‘Contract killer’ opens fire at cops during weapon recovery, shot in leg

Khanna SP (investigation) Pawanjeet Singh said that Saleem was among the suspects who had opened fire at and critically injured Jaspreet Singh, a local from Machhiwara on July 29.

“The police were escorting Saleem to forest area near Khanpur village for the recovery of concealed weapons when the incident unfolded,” said the SP.

As per the police, Saleem retrieved a revolver and cartridges buried in a pit but suddenly “snatched the service weapon of Machhiwara SHO, Inspector Harvinder Singh, in a bid to escape”. Police responded with controlled fire, injuring Saleem in the leg before arresting him.

SP Singh said the revolver and magazine used in the attack on Jaspreet Singh have been recovered. Prima facie, the shooting was an orchestrated contract killing, with the attack allegedly commissioned from abroad. Jaspreet Singh remains under treatment in hospital.

Further he added that Saleem has a criminal history, with several previous cases registered against him.

SP said that apart from Saleem, the police have also arrested his two brothers and wife for allegedly handling his financial transactions etc.

On July 29, at least four masked assailants shot Jaspreet, in his twenties, after barging into his house in village Chak Lohat of Machhiwara. The man suffered three bullet injuries and has been rushed to a private hospital in Rupnagar from where he was further referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Khanna Police had registered an FIR against Lakhbir Singh, Deewan Singh, Jaswant Singh, Bhinder and their unidentified aides on the statement of Jaspreet’s mother Manjit Kaur who had suspected that some of their relatives, with whom they are bitter ties, might have orchestrated the attack.