Hoshiarpur: The main accused in the murder of Sandeep Kumar Cheena (45), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)-backed Sarpanch of Dadiana Kalan village and State Vice President of Baba Sahib Ambedkar Force, was arrested after a late-night police encounter, while another accused was apprehended this morning, police said on Wednesday.
Sandeep Kumar Cheena was reportedly shot dead by three motorcycle-borne assailants while he and his friends were standing outside his cement block and interlocking tiles factory at Dosarka Adda on January 4.
SP (Investigation) Sarbjit Singh Bahia said the police raided a canal track near village Dholbaha after receiving technical surveillance input about the presence of Anoop Kumar, alias Vicky, there. When the police asked him to surrender, Anoop Kumar fired two to three shots at the police.
In the retaliatory fire by the police, Anoop Kumar sustained two bullet injuries. He was admitted to the local government hospital, from where he was referred to a hospital in Amritsar.
Another accused involved in the murder, Manpreet Singh, alias Manish, of Kamalpur Mothanwala (Kapurthala), was arrested by the police on Wednesday morning.
Earlier, an accused Rohit Kumar, alias Suraj of village Sherpur Gulind, was apprehended by the police on January 5, 2024.
The reason behind the murder of Sarpanch Sandeep Kumar Cheena has yet to be ascertained, said Sarbjit Singh Bahia.