Jalandhar: Gurpreet Singh 'Gopi' Nijjar, a key witness in the 2015 murder of gangster Sukha Kahlwan, was shot dead on Thursday night. The attack occurred while Nijjar was in his car in the Dhilwan area on the national highway around 8:30 pm, shortly after he had left his home in Jai Rampur village.
Police response and hospitalisation
Kapurthala SSP Gaurav Toora said a police party rushed Nijjar to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. On Friday, the Doni Bal gang claimed responsibility for the killing via a social media post. The SSP stated that Nijjar was facing three criminal cases, including charges of attempted dacoity and under the NDPS Act.
Background of the 2015 murder
Sukha Kahlwan, a sharpshooter with nearly two dozen cases against him, was shot dead by members of a rival gang on the outskirts of Phagwara on June 21, 2015. He was being taken to Nabha Jail by the Patiala police at the time. Police had named 12 accused, including gangsters Vicky Gounder and Prema Lahoria. Both were later killed in police encounters.
The trial in the case concluded in 2019, with the acquittal of eight accused. Two of the accused, Sandeep Singh Pehlwan and Jaipal Singh, had been declared proclaimed offenders.
