A major police investigation was held in Fatehgarh Sahib on Tuesday when a man accused in a sacrilege case was allegedly hacked to death by unidentified assailants at his residence in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district late Monday night. The deceased has been identified as Mewa Singh, a resident of Ladpur Tooran village near Mandi Gobindgarh.
Details by the police
According to police, the attack took place around midnight when a group of unidentified men allegedly entered Mewa Singh's house while he was asleep. They were armed with sharp-edged weapons and reportedly assaulted him multiple times causing fatal injuries to the victim before fleeing the scene. He was later rushed to the hospital by his family members. The family got aware f the situation when they heard his cries for help, but by the time they reached him, the protruders had escaped. Mewa Singh was declared dead at the spot.
In conversation with the family
His family claimed they were awakened by his screams during the attack. His daughter reportedly said that she heard her father calling out for help, but despite their efforts to reach him, they could not save him. The family immediately informed the police, who reached the spot along with forensic experts to begin the investigation.
Police investigation
Police officials sealed the area and collected forensic evidence from the crime scene. CCTV footage from nearby locations was examined, while investigators also recorded statements from family members, neighbours and other potential witnesses to establish the sequence of events and identify those involved in the murder.
History of the victim
According to police records, Mewa Singh was one of the accused in a 2020 sacrilege case involving the alleged desecration of a religious scripture at a village gurdwara. He had spent time in judicial custody and was recently released on bail. Investigators have not yet confirmed whether the murder was directly linked to the earlier sacrilege case, saying that all possible motives are being examined.
Case against the accused
Senior police officials said a case of murder has been registered against unidentified persons, and multiple teams have been formed to trace the accused. Security has also been tightened in the area to prevent any untoward incident, considering the sensitive nature of the case.
Appeal to the residents
The police have appealed to residents to maintain peace and refrain from spreading rumours or unverified information on social media. Officials said the investigation is progressing on multiple fronts, including analysing forensic evidence, reviewing surveillance footage and gathering intelligence from local sources.
Authorities have assured that those responsible for the killing will be identified and brought to justice. Further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.