3 behind Dera Bassi woman’s killing held after encounter

Almost a month after a 50-year-old woman was shot dead outside her house in Guru Nanak Colony, Dafarpur, Dera Bassi, the special branch of Mohali Police arrested three accused after an encounter on Santpura road, Khizarabad, Majri, on Saturday. Over 10 bullets were fired, seven of which hit the accused in their hands, legs and feet.
The accused, Naresh Kumar, 46, of Jind, Akshay, 25, of Balmiki Mohalla, Shastri Nagar, Hisar, and Sunil Kumar, 27, of Azad Nagar, Hisar, have been hospitalised.
Mohali senior superintendent of police Sandeep Garg said they had received a tip-off about the accused’s presence in the area and dispatched teams to nab them.
“When our teams reached there, the accused tried to flee and got injured in the police encounter. While one of the three men suffered three bullet shots, the other two suffered two bullet injuries each. It is suspected the trio was fleeing to Himachal Pradesh,” said the SSP.
A bike and two .30-bore weapons, along with cartridges, were seized from their possession.
Mastermind wanted to avenge humiliation
As per the police, the accused had killed the woman, Saroj, at the behest of key accused Subash, 55, a resident of Jind, Haryana. Subash is the maternal uncle of the victim’s daughter-in-law and was arrested on February 27 by the Mohali special branch.
According to police sources, Subash, a farmer, had come to Dera Bassi two years ago to visit his niece but ended up having a heated argument with Saroj.
Saroj, as per the accused’s statement, didn’t let him meet his niece, and also tore his clothes, assaulted and abused him in front of her neighbours.
Holding a grudge ever since, Subash conspired to eliminate her. For this, he hired two shooters, including a close associate from his native village, Naresh and Akshay, paying them around ₹25,000.
Naresh shot at Saroj: Police
A police officer said Subash turned to his close friend Naresh for help to murder Saroj. To avenge his friend’s humiliation, Naresh, along with Akshay, took up the task. They rode by Saroj’s house on February 12, and while she was sitting outside with her neighbours, Naresh shot her dead, before fleeing towards Mubarikpur. Having sustained two bullets – one in the stomach and another in the neck – Saroj had succumbed to her injuries at PGIMER after battling for life for three days.
The SSP said both shooters are history-sheeters. While Naresh is facing around 14 criminal cases, including murder, dacoity, attempt-to-murder, Excise Act and Arms Act, Akshay is named in two attempt-to-murder cases in Hisar and is a proclaimed offender.
Meanwhile, a forensic team collected all the crucial evidence from the spot, including the bullet shells and weapons used in crime.
All accused are facing charges under Section 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Arms Act.
For firing at the cops, the trio has been booked in a fresh case at Majri police station under section 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions) of IPC and under Arms Act.