After a sarpanch from the Aam Aadmi Party in Valtoha was shot dead on Sunday, Punjab AAP MLA Sarwan Singh Dhun has said that the deceased had been receiving extortion calls.
Dhun, who is an MLA from Khemkaran, where the Valtoha village is situated, also said that the sarpanch had also lodged a complaint regarding the extortion attempts.
“He (deceased) was under threat because he got calls for extortion. In this regard, he also got an FIR registered in Valtoha Police Station some time ago. The police took action against some persons acting on his complaint,” Dhun alleged, according to an earlier HT report.
The deceased, identified as Jarmal Singh (50), was shot by unidentified assailants during a wedding in Amritsar, police said. He was shot at point-blank range by two people who were posing as guests at the wedding.
Khemkaran MLA Dhun, who was also at the venue of the wedding function, recounted the incident. ““We were together at the function and had tea. After that I went inside the hall to have lunch. Jarmal Singh remained sitting in the courtyard along with other guests,” Dhun said, adding that he had heard firing outside a hall after some time.
“When I rushed outside, I saw that Jarmal Singh had been injured critically in the firing and he was being taken to the hospital,” Dhun said.
The incident took place near the Verka Bypass in Amritsar.
Officials said that the sarpanch had been shot in the head, adding that efforts were underway to identify the attackers. “We have initiated a detailed probe into the incident…Soon we will trace the attackers,” deputy commissioner of police (City) Jagjit Singh Walia said.
Following the incident, the police visited the scene of the crime and began questioning the guests, including eyewitnesses, according to officials.
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