Three brutal murders within 24 hours in Chandauli district have left the region in shock. The victims were two passengers on moving trains and a woman patient in a private hospital. Police have identified the accused as Gurpreet Singh, a 45-year-old former serviceman from Punjab, who appears to be mentally disturbed.
Timeline of the killings
The first murder occurred on May 10 at 7:30 am. Mangru (34), a resident of Ghazipur, was shot dead on board the PDDU-Tadighat passenger train. The second incident took place on May 11 at 1:40 am, when Dinesh Shah (42) from Gaya was killed on the Kolkata-Jammu Tawi Express. The third murder happened at 6:30 am on May 11, when Laxmina (55) from Sasaram was shot dead inside a private hospital ward in Chandauli.
Arrest and death of accused
Gurpreet Singh was apprehended by an auto driver after he allegedly killed Laxmina and tried to flee. Later, during a crime scene recreation near Kuchhman railway station, he snatched a policeman's firearm and opened fire. In retaliatory fire, Singh suffered a bullet injury and died, confirmed Varanasi range DIG Vaibhav Krishna. A constable and a GRP officer were also injured in the exchange.
Confession and motive
During interrogation, Singh confessed to the two train murders. One killing resulted from a verbal argument, while the other two were unprovoked. Police recovered a revolver and a sawed-off double-barrel gun from his possession. Investigators noted that Singh appeared psychologically disturbed, likely aggravated by alcoholism, and became aggressive during questioning. He admitted to killing three people at random without any apparent motive.
Details of the incidents
Singh left Punjab on April 29 for Ara in Bihar for a security guard job, but left for Prayagraj on May 9. He boarded the PDDU-Tarighat passenger train on May 10 and argued with Mangru before shooting him and throwing his body onto the tracks. He then jumped off the train near Sakaldiha. Later, he boarded the Kolkata-Jammu Tawi Express and shot Dinesh Shah near the washroom. After fleeing, he reached Jeevak hospital in Kamalapur, registered as a patient, and shot Laxmina in a ward. He attempted to escape but was caught by an auto driver and later handed over to police.
Investigation
SP GRP Prashant Verma reached Chandauli to monitor the investigation. The GRP removed the body from the train at Varanasi Junction and began legal formalities. The DIG confirmed that Singh died after the police shootout.
