The individual responsible for the shooting of the dera kar seva chief at the Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar was confronted and killed in an encounter by the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) and the Haridwar Police, as confirmed by the state's senior police official to ANI news agency on Tuesday.
Baba Tarsem Singh was fatally shot on March 28 within the shrine's premises by Sarabjit Singh and Amarjit Singh, who arrived on a motorcycle. The dera kar seva chief was seated when he was targeted with a rifle by the pillion rider.
Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar announced Amarjit Singh's demise, noting that his partner has absconded, and efforts are underway to apprehend him.
"The Uttarakhand Police treated the murder of Baba as a serious challenge, with both the STF and local police tirelessly pursuing the culprits. Any criminals committing such egregious acts in Uttarakhand will face severe consequences," stated the DGP.
Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police Parminder Doval disclosed that the encounter occurred between Kaliyar Road and Bhagwanpur in Haridwar. He mentioned that Amarjit Singh was involved in over 16 cases.
Five individuals, including the two assailants, Sarabjit Singh and Amarjit Singh, IAS officer Harbans Singh Chugh who leads the Nanakmatta Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Baba Anup Singh, and Pritam Singh Sandhu, the vice-president of a regional Sikh organization, were named in the FIR related to Baba Tarsem Singh's murder.
According to sources cited by India Today TV, Sarabjit Singh had a criminal history and was previously detained for severing the hand of an individual who allegedly touched Guru Granth Sahib with unwashed hands.
To investigate the case, a special investigation team (SIT) composed of members from the Special Task Force and local law enforcement was assembled.
