JAMMU: One of the cops accused of killing a ‘drug peddler’ made an abortive bid to end his life at Special Operation Group (SOG’s) camp office here on Monday afternoon. Doctors at GMC Hospital, however, swiftly washed his stomach and saved him.
Meanwhile, an Assistant Sub Inspector, three cops and a driver of J&K Police were detained in connection with the killing and pending inquiry is being conducted by the Jammu-Kathua Range DIG Ashkoor Wani. They are being formally arrested tomorrow, according to sources.
While the driver of the police van may be spared because of his being in the vehicle when the drug peddler Tarsem Lal reportedly escaped from Domana Police Station and was fired upon.
Constable Girdhara Singh, who allegedly fired at Tarsem Lal swallowed Harpic-a solution meant for cleansing toilets, at SOG’s camp office at Old Nowabad Police Station building at Gumat at around 2.30 PM. The incident took place when the senior officers, interrogating them, left for lunch. Girdhara Singh was immediately shifted to GMC where doctors saved him.
FIR under Section 302RPC has been registered at Domana Police Station against the held cops including the ASI heading the SOG team while the FIR under NDPS Act has been now registered at Akhnoor police station as the trio were arrested from Tanda the other day.
Kamal Sharma, 17, son of Rajinder Parsad Sharma and Irfaan, 19, son of Majid Ahmed Kohli, both residents of Chinore, who were arrested with Tarsem Lal, have been shifted to Akhnoor police station.
The cops who have been booked under murder charges include Constables Girdhara Singh, resident of Khir Pind, Rahul Raina, Rajneesh Sharma and ASI Javed Ahmad. Driver of the police van namely Ravi Kumar has been spared, sources said. The alleged drug peddler Tarsem Lal was shot dead on Sunday afternoon. He along with two others was apprehended near Tanda area in Akhnoor with a consignment of Charas. The trio was brought to Domana Police Station for registration of FIR. Surprisingly, the SOG team was forcing the Domana Police to register FIR whileas the recovery was made from Tanda area. Police is tightlipped over the matter as none of the officer responded to any call.