Punjab Newsline | Bathinda
A 35-year-old man was brutally hacked to death with an axe following an old rivalry near Pathrala village in Punjab's Bathinda district on Friday. The victim, identified as Kuldeep Singh, was allegedly chased by armed assailants before being attacked and killed in a field. The accused fled the scene after committing the crime.
Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Masita village in Dabwali, had recently been released from jail on bail. According to preliminary information, he had been involved in the murder of a youth from his own village around two years ago, along with some associates. Since then, a bitter rivalry had reportedly continued between the two groups.
According to DSP Parminder Singh, Kuldeep had left his native village and started living near his maternal village, Pathrala. On Friday morning, while he was travelling to Dabwali court to appear in connection with a case, some youths who were already lying in wait near Pathrala village intercepted him and attacked him with axes.
In an attempt to save his life, Kuldeep ran towards nearby fields. However, the attackers chased him and repeatedly struck him with axes, killing him on the spot. The assailants reportedly arrived on a motorcycle and a car before fleeing after the murder.
DSP Parminder Singh said the killing appeared to be the result of an old rivalry. Police have registered a murder case at Sangat police station and launched a search operation to trace the accused.
Police sources further revealed that Kuldeep Singh himself was facing two to three murder cases. He was allegedly involved in the killings of two to three members of the rival group along with his associates.
Meanwhile, police have obtained CCTV footage that could help identify the attackers. According to sources, Kuldeep had also run towards a nearby petrol pump while trying to escape the assault. The CCTV cameras installed there reportedly captured the accused chasing him.
