Local court awards death to former Shiv Sena youth chief

A Ludhiana court on Thursday awarded the death penalty to former Shiv Sena youth wing president,Suraj Singh Ahluwalia for allegedly murdering a taxi-driver three years ago. The court of Additional Session Judge,Mandeep Pannu awarded life to another accused in the murder,while Ahluwalia’s gunman,who was present at the crime scene,was acquitted.

The case dates back to September 5,2008 when Kamaljit Singh alias Sonu (25) a taxi driver by profession was allegedly shot dead by Ahluwalia and his friend Tejinder Bawa. The complainant in the case,Baldev Singh alleged that his cousin Kamaljit was employed by a taxi service called Neelkanth Taxi Service in Upkar Nagar. On the fateful day Kamaljit was sitting in his office along with Baldev when the former Shiva Sena youth wing president along with his gunman Gurprem Singh and friend Tejinder Bawa came to their office. The trio then gave Rs 20 to Baldev and asked him to go out and get some cigarettes. When Singh returned he saw that a heated argument had begun between all those present and before he could defuse the situation,Bawa allegedly took out his pistol and shot Kamaljit in the head. Following this,Ahluwalia allegedly took his gunman’s carbine and began firing at Kamaljit who died on the spot.

The trio then tried to flee in a Bolero. The Division Number 8 police had registered a complaint against the three under sections 302,341 of the IPC and 25,27,54 ,59 and 27 of the Arms Act.