Pathankot terror attack martyr Kulwant Singh’s younger brother and his wife were allegedly thrashed by a travel agent and his accomplices over a monetary dispute, prompting Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to order strict action against the culprits.
Hardip Singh and his wife, Kulwinder Kaur, were thrashed in an area falling under Bhaini Mian Khan police station on May 13 with a video of the incident going viral on social media.
Punjab police on Monday submitted a detailed report to the chief minister on the incident and said a manhunt has been launched to arrest the absconding culprits.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, Amarinder directed the DGP to initiate a thorough probe and ensure that the family of the martyred hawaldar was provided full protection, said an official release.
Acting on the chief minister’s directives, the DGP has ordered a thorough investigation in the matter.
According to the police report sent to the chief minister, the dispute arose after Hardip gave Rs 9 lakh to travel agent, Gurnam Singh of Chak Sharif, to send the former to the United States of America in 2015.
After Gurnam failed to send him abroad, Hardip’s family demanded that the money be returned.
“The agent returned Rs 3.4 lakh while deducting Rs 1.6 lakh for expenses. For the balance amount, an affidavit was signed by the agent promising refund of Rs 4 lakh in due course,” police said.
However, the agent allegedly made excuses for not returning the money, following which Hardip threatened him with a police complaint.
The police said the Chak Sharif village sarpanch had intervened in a bid to resolve the issue but failed, leading to a heated argument between the parties. The sarpanch then advised Hardip to report the matter to the police.
On May 13, Hardip and his wife were on their way to a police station to lodge a complaint when they stopped at a shop to recharge a mobile phone.
Gurnam and his family members, including women, beat up Hardip and his wife inside the shop, and the incident was captured by a CCTV, according to the police report.
An FIR dated May 14 has been registered under relevant sections of IPC at Bhaini Mian Khan police station. Ten suspects have been named in the FIR based on the statement of Kulwinder Kaur, wife of Hardeep.
“All the suspects are absconding and police teams have been dispatched to arrest them,” police said.
Hawaldar Kulwant Singh was among the seven security personnel who lost their lives when four terrorists sneaked in from across the border and attacked the Pathankot air base on the intervening night of January 1 and 2 last year.
Kulwant was a resident of Chak Sharif village in Gurdaspur.
