In a major breakthrough, Kapurthala Police have solved a chilling double kidnapping and murder case, apprehending the prime accused, Harwinder Singh alias Pinder, from Kutch, Gujarat. The accused, had been previously convicted for the 2012 murder of DSP Balraj Singh and his friend, was serving a life sentence and was out on parole at the time of the crime.
Addressing the media at Police Lines, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Toora detailed the intensive investigation that led to the arrests of all suspects involved in the kidnapping from AGI Flats near Phagwara and the subsequent murders. The case was cracked through meticulous raids across multiple states, leveraging technical and human intelligence.
On April 24, 2025, Police Station Sadar Phagwara received a complaint from Sudesh Kumar that his son, Sanjeev Kumar, and his friend, Anju Paul, were missing from AGI Flats in Phagwara. A minor girl informed the police that three unidentified men kidnapped her mother, Anju Paul, and Sanjeev Kumar on the night of April 19-20, 2025. An FIR (No. 43, dated 24.04.2025) was registered under Sections 138, 140, 336(2), 61(2) BNS, and Sections 25, 27 of the Arms Act at Sadar Phagwara Police Station.
Special investigation teams, led by SP (D) Prabhjot Singh Virk and SP Phagwara Rupinder Kaur Bhatti, including DSP Phagwara Bharat Bhushan, DSP (Detective) Parminder Singh, Inspector Jarnail Singh (CIA Kapurthala), and Sub-Inspector Bisman Singh (CIA Phagwara), were formed. The teams analyzed CCTV footage, conducted technical investigations done by Asi Charanjeet singh of technical cell and visited the crime scene.
Within 24 hours, the mastermind, Harwinder Singh alias Pinder, was identified. On April 27, 2025, accomplices Kuldeep alias Billa, Balraj Kaur, and Rupinder alias Pinda were arrested in Ludhiana for providing logistical support. On April 28, 2025, Kapurthala Police, in coordination with Gujarat Police, arrested Harwinder from Kutch within 72 hours of the initial report. He was brought to Phagwara on transit remand and granted eight days of police custody on May 1, 2025.
During interrogation, Harwinder revealed that he married Anju Paul in 2019 and visited her during parole periods. Recently, Anju had distanced herself and did not support his legal battles for bail or parole. Enraged, Harwinder, along with co-accused Manjot Singh alias Fruity and another accomplice, entered Anju’s flat around 1:00 AM on April 19-20, 2025, kidnapped the victims at gunpoint. The victims were taken to a field in Ludhiana, where they were strangled to death.
On May 2, 2025, Jashanpreet Singh alias Jassu, who assisted with logistics and disposed of the kidnapping vehicle, was arrested in Ludhiana. On May 5, 2025, Manjot Singh alias Fruity was apprehended near Moga. During sustained interrogation, Harwinder and Manjot disclosed the location of the victims’ bodies, which were recovered on May 6, 2025, from an agricultural field in Village Chahar, Ludhiana, in the presence of an Executive Magistrate.
Harwinder Singh, a notorious criminal, was convicted in 2012 for the double murder of DSP Balraj Singh and his friend. Both he and Manjot Singh were on parole when they committed this crime. The third accomplice in the kidnapping and murder has been identified, and efforts are underway to apprehend them. Harwinder, Manjot, and Jashanpreet remain in police custody as the investigation continues, with expectations of uncovering additional details.
SSP Toora commended the police teams for their coordinated efforts in resolving this heinous case, reaffirming Kapurthala Police’s commitment to justice and public safety.