Fugitive gangster Dilpreet Singh, who shot at singer, arrested

A native of Dahan village near Nurpur Bedi in Ropar district of Punjab, Dilpreet was wanted by the police forces of Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana in at least 16 cases of murder, attempt to murder and extortion. In April, Dilpreet had allegedly executed a murderous assault on Punjabi singer Parmish Verma near Sector 91 in Mohali district. He also allegedly made an extortion bid from another Punjabi singer Gippy Grewal.

Dilpreet was also wanted by Chandigarh Police in case of a broad daylight murder in April last year. Dilpreet and his accomplices Harwinder Singh Rinda and Harjinder Singh Akash, on April 9, 2017, had allegedly shot dead a Hoshiarpur village Sarpanch Satnam Singh in full public view in Sector 38 of Chandigarh.

Police officials told Chandigarh Newsline that they had were tracking Dilpreet’s movement for the last few days.
“We had a confirmed input about his movement in Chandigarh on Monday. We shared the input with Chandigarh Police. We also learnt that he had changed his appearance. He had got a haircut and also trimmed his beard to escape identification. When we intercepted him in a Maruti Swift car, he tried to escape.

First, we pelted stones at his vehicle’s windshield restricting him to drive his car. But, he tried to escape by putting his vehicle in the reverse gear. At that time, he hit the Toyota Fortuner of Chandigarh Police Crime Branch Inspector Amanjot. As his vehicle became immobile, he got out and opened fire at the police party. We responded and he sustained two bullet injuries. He was taken to the hospital and provided medical aid. His condition is stable,” said Punjab Police’s Deputy Superintendent of Police Tejinder Singh Sandhu.

On searching Dilpreet’s vehicle, which was later found to be registered in the name of a Naraingarh resident, police recovered a single barrel rifle, one pistol and dozens of live cartridges from the Swift car. Three hockey sticks were also recovered from the boot of the vehicle. Dilpreet is one of the 17 notorious criminals who figure in Punjab police’s “A-category criminals” list.

Minutes after the encounter, Punjab police team first rushed Dilpreet to a hospital in Phase-VI of Mohali. He was given first-aid there and referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh. “It was primarily the operation of Punjab police. Our Crime Branch team provided the required assistance. Dilpreet is wanted only in one case of murder in Chandigarh. Majority of the cases registered against him are in Punjab and Haryana. In today’s encounter with the police, since Dilpreet shot at police personnel in our jurisdiction, we have registered another case against him on charges of attempt to murder and under the provisions of Arms Act. The case was registered against Dilpreet on the complaint lodged by Mohali police’s DSP Tejinder Singh Sandhu,” said Ravi Kumar, Superintendent of Police (Crime), Chandigarh.

Doctors at PGI performed surgery in the right thigh of Dilpreet Singh and his condition was stated to stable. The doctors maintained that Dilpreet would be discharged from the hospital after two-three days. SSP (Rural), Jalandhar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said, “Dilpreet Singh is currently in the custody of Chandigarh Police as a fresh FIR for an attempt to murder was registered against him. We will take his custody after the completion of legal formalities.”

Parting of company
Accused Akashdeep Singh and Harjinder Kumar, alias Rinda, separated from Dilpreet after the attack on Parmish Verma in the month of Apri 2018. The movement of Akashdeep Singh and Harjinder Kumar, from Nanded Sahib in Maharashtra, were noticed in Nanded Sahib two months ago but as a team of Punjab Police reached there, the two managed to shift their hideouts.

The three had committed seven crimes, including murder, attempt to murder and two robberies together. A Punjab Police officer said, “Dilpreet had stayed in Baddi, Barotiwala after the attack on Punjabi singer. But his actual two hideouts in Nawashahr and Chandigarh came to light during the interrogation of a drug peddler arrested in Jalandhar and later found involved in a case registered in Chandigarh.”