A minor argument over one person calling out a bad habit in another’s child, during a birthday party at a mall in Ludhiana, turned into a brawl in which a man was shot dead and another injured, police said Saturday. The incident took place at Castle’s Barbeque, a restaurant-cum-bar in Ludhiana’s Pavilion Mall Friday midnight, they said. The deceased was identified as Manjit Singh (42) of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar. He was a property dealer. Police said that main accused Jaswinder Singh alias Bindi from village Sahibana, allegedly opened fire at Manjit during the brawl. Manjit, who sustained a gunshot wound in chest, was rushed to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where he died during treatment. Both were guests at a birthday party organized by Parminder Singh alias Pappu of Jamalpur. Another guest, Sumit Saini alias Golu of Delhi, was shot in the leg and is undergoing treatment. Police said that all of them were under influence of liquor when an argument broke out between between Jaswinder and his friend Jadgeep Singh (of village Bulara) on one side and Manjit and Sumit on the other side. Ludhiana DCP (Detective) Simrat Pal Singh Dhindsa said that while exact reason of the brawl was being investigated, it apparently started with a minor argument when one of them called out another’s child for some wrong habit. “In a fit of rage, Jaswinder went to the parking area, got his licensed 32 bore revolver, came back to restaurant and opened fire at Manjit. We have also booked restaurant owners as they place was open after midnight which is a violation. It is also being probed how the accused managed to sneak in weapon inside the mall despite security check,” said DCP. Based on the statement of Manjit’s wife Randeep Kaur, who was present in the party, an FIR has been registered against Jaswinder and Jagdeep under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC and sections 25, 27 of Arms Act has been registered at division number 8 police station. Inspector Gurmeet Singh, SHO divison number 8 police station said that restaurant owners have been booked under the section 188 (disobedience to the orders duly promulgated by the public servant) of IPC while the role of mall authorities and lapses on their part are being investigated. The SHO further said that during interrogation, Jaswinder said that he remembers nothing about the incident and was under the influence of liquor when he opened fire. Meanwhile, police said that three FIRs were already registered against Jaswinder. He was booked in 2009 at Sahnewal police station in a clash; then in 2016 by division number 7 police for rash driving and in August 2019 by Sahnewal police for an alleged kidnapping. “He was arrested and then got bail,” said SHO. Jagdeep is absconding. The accused allegedly fired five rounds. It is suspected that Jagdeep was also having a weapon and had opened fire in air but police said that it will be clear only after his arrest. Jaswinder’s revolver and a bullet have been recovered. Ludhiana CP orders bars shut at 11pm The Ludhiana police commissioner Rakesh Agrawal Saturday issued orders under section 144 of CrPC banning opening of hotels/restaurants/dhabas after 11.30 pm and bars or liquor serving shops after 11 pm. The orders said that ban is being imposed in view of hooliganism at such places and thus no eatery can serve liquor in Ludhiana city after 11pm. The ban orders will remain enforced for two months.
