Jammu murder case: Police conduct raids in residence of ex-SSP, 2 others

Jammu, May 9 (PTI) Police on Thursday raided the residences of three persons, including a former senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), as it further stepped up its efforts in the ongoing investigation into the murder of a person over a land dispute here.

The alleged incident occurred on May 1, when Avtar Singh (40), son of Balbir Singh, died after being hit on the head with an iron rod during a scuffle between two groups – both of whom claimed a piece of land in Greater Kailash locality.

An angry mob, including the family and relatives of the deceased, blocked Kalu Chak road on Jammu-Pathankot national highway for several days and demanded a CBI probe into the killing, police said.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, he said, a police officer said.

“Continuing in its resolve to get to the roots of crime, police conducted simultaneous raids at three locations of the accused and their known associates in the Greater Kailash murder case,” he said.

The officer said that these three searches were conducted as per court orders in the houses of former SSP Sheikh Mehmood at Channi, Purushottam Singh at Bishnah and the driver of Ravinder Gupta, who is accused of land grabbing, at Gangyal.

In the raids, more than 60 documents related to land deals and sale have been seized and several digital devices were recovered for further analysis, he said.

It is important to note that the Gupta’s driver has been closely associated with him for the last several years, the officer said.

He said that the police examined the CCTV footage of the area around the crime spot and picked up relevant evidence.

On May 4, a city court granted nine days police remand of seven persons, including ex-SSP Sheikh Mehmood, Purushottam Singh alias Nikka, Ravinder Kumar Gupta alias Gola Shah in the Greater Kailash murder case.

Two police officials have been suspended in connection with the murder and a departmental inquiry has been ordered.