Two months after the murder of Sooraj Parkash, alias Babbu, a close aide of slain gangster Sukha Barewalia, the CIA staff –3 of Police Commissionerate Ludhiana arrested three accused, while one of the accused is yet to be arrested. The police have recovered a pistol, used in the crime, and four live bullets from their possession, while the vehicle used by the accused in the crime was already recovered by the police. Parkash was a lone witness in the Barewalia murder case.

The arrested accused have been identified as Vikramjit Singh alias Vicky of Village Barewal, Hardeep Singh alias Ghaggu of Partap Singh Wala and Teerath Singh alias Kala of Barewal. David of Jagatpuri is still on the run.

Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Jaskiranjit Singh Teja said that the police on Thursday arrested the accused from 200 Futta road, Dugri. The accused were produced before the court on Friday. The court remanded the accused for three days in police custody for questioning.

The DCP added that on February 27, Parkash alias Bablu was shot dead at Panj Peer Road near Hambran-Ludhiana Road in the wee hours. His friend Harpreet Singh of Jagraon also suffered bullet injuries. Assailants had shot Babbu in his head following which he died on the spot. Harpreet Singh suffered a gunshot injury on his lower abdomen.

The accused are already facing trial in various criminal cases, including attempt to murder, possessing illegal weapons and snatching.

Inspector Rajesh Kumar, in-charge CIA staff 3, said that Sooraj of Arya Mohalla was also the lone eyewitness of Barewalia murder. He had managed to escape from the spot when rivals shot dead Sukha on May 8, 2023. However, the police also booked him in a murder case.

Around 30 minutes before being murdered, Sooraj and Harpreet had gone to the house of Vicky, at Barewal road and hurled abuses. Minutes later, Vicky along with his aides chased them and shot him dead.

The DCP added that Sooraj was a friend of the accused Vicky, and they were co-accused in many cases lodged against them. They were members of the Barewlia gang. After Barewalia was murdered on May 8, 2023, by his friends and members of his gang, they divided into factions and nursed rivalry against each other.

A case under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC and various sections of the Arms Act were registered at PAU police station.

Barewalia was shot dead on May 8 last year

Most wanted Sukha Barewalia, who was facing trial in at least 23 cases and was also a henchman of the politicians, was shot dead on May 8 last year at the house of one of his friends and gang member Rohit, alias Ishu, in Joginder Nagar of Haibowal. Sukha along with Suraj had gone there. After his murder, Sooraj fled the spot. The Haibowal police lodged a murder case against Rohit Malhotra of Joginder Nagar, Gopal Mahajan, alias Gopi, of Pakhowal and Sooraj Parkash of Arya Mohalla. Ishu also suffered a gunshot injury on his forehead, and he was admitted to a hospital.