A local court in Ludhiana has delivered its verdict in a high-profile 2022 murder case, sentencing three men to rigorous life imprisonment for the killing of a police head constable. The court also handed down two-year prison terms to two women for their roles in destroying evidence related to the violent street ambush that shocked the Hol village community.
The Fatal Ambush and Court's Punishment
Additional Sessions Judge Barinder Singh Ramana pronounced the sentences, bringing closure to a trial that laid bare a brutal attack and a subsequent family-led cover-up. The three primary convicts – Gurpinder Singh, Avtar Singh, and Jagwinder Singh – were each fined Rs 1.55 lakh. The two women convicted, Jaswinder Kaur and Harjot Kaur, were fined Rs 10,000 each for their crime of causing evidence to disappear.
Details of the October 2022 Attack
The incident that led to the murder conviction occurred on the night of October 27, 2022. According to prosecution testimony from the victim's cousin, Satwinder Singh, Head Constable Sukhwinder Singh was on his way to a local grocery store when his SUV was intercepted and blocked by the accused in Hol village.
Satwinder Singh, who arrived at the scene on his motorcycle, testified that when the constable stepped out of his vehicle to confront the group, he was immediately attacked. The assailants, armed with swords, inflicted multiple blows to the constable's head. Satwinder Singh was also injured while trying to intervene before the attackers fled as villagers began to gather.
Investigation and Upgraded Charges
The case took a serious turn when Sukhwinder Singh succumbed to his injuries on October 30, 2022. This prompted the police to upgrade the initial charges from attempted murder to murder. While the defence argued there was no prior enmity or clear motive, Judge Ramana dismissed these claims.
The court cited the "lalkara" – a traditional Punjabi shout of challenge – issued by Gurpinder Singh as clear evidence of intent. The prosecution further solidified its case by highlighting that Gurpinder Singh had admitted himself to a civil hospital after the brawl but later absconded, an act the court viewed as strengthening the presumption of his guilt.
Forensic Evidence and Final Judgment
Medical records and forensic evidence played a decisive role in securing the convictions. The court observed that the injuries sustained by the deceased perfectly corresponded with eyewitness statements and medical documentation. The recovered weapons were found to contain human blood, and the fact that the accused targeted the head established their murderous intention.
This led to their conviction under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for murder. Regarding the women, the court found prosecutors successfully proved that Jaswinder Kaur and Harjot Kaur had washed away blood from the crime scene in a deliberate attempt to shield the attackers from investigators.
