Accused arrested in Panipat after encounter for INLD leader’s brother’s murder

Police Arrest Suspect in Kidnapping and Murder Case

Days after the kidnapping and murder of Jaideep Rathi, the brother of Panipat INLD district president Kuldeep Rathi, police arrested an accused on Monday. This arrest followed a brief encounter related to the crime.

Details of the Arrest

The accused, Gurdarshan Singh, is a resident of Ambala district. He was apprehended after an exchange of fire with police near IOCL Refinery road on Sunday night. Police also seized a pistol from him. He is currently receiving treatment at the civil hospital.

Associates and Background

One of Gurdarshan’s associates, Jaljeet Singh, a local resident, fled the scene during the encounter. He took advantage of the fog and darkness. This arrest marks the sixth in the case concerning Jaideep Rathi’s kidnapping and murder, which stemmed from a land dispute.

Timeline of Events

Jaideep, an ophthalmology officer at the civil hospital, went to work on December 27 but did not return home. His family reported him missing the next day. Hours later, police found his abandoned car near a toll plaza in Dera Bassi.

Further Arrests and Investigation

On Sunday, police also arrested Jaswant Singh, a resident of Yamunanagar, in connection with the crime. He was presented in court and taken into police remand for eight days. During the investigation, Jaswant disclosed that he and Gurdarshan shot Jaideep on December 27 in Punjab and disposed of the body.

Ongoing Investigation

SP Bhupender Singh stated that CCTV footage from the day Jaideep went missing showed him with two men in Zirakpur. However, he was not seen in later footage. “As per the family’s complaint, we arrested four men on Friday. Jaswant was arrested on Sunday. During his remand, we will investigate how they killed him and the involvement of other suspects. An SIT is already formed, and I have assigned a DSP to look into their property dispute that led to the murder,” he added.