Amritsar encounter: Moosewala's shooters Jagroop Roopa and Mannu Kusa killed; 3 cops injured

Amritsar, July 20: Two gangsters, identified as Jagroop Singh Rupa and Manpreet Singh alias Manu Kusa, were killed in an encounter by the Punjab Police that last for more than four hours in Amritsar on Wednesday. They were involved in the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala, Additional Director General of Police Pramod Ban told mediapersons after the encounter. Three policemen were also injured. It is learnt that the shooters killed in the encounter were in Corolla when Moosewala was murdered in Mansa on May 29. Also Read | NEET dress code controversy: Five arrested for 'forcing' girl students to remove innerwear "Heavy exchange of fire took place today, 2 gangsters involved in Sidhu Moose Wala case namely Jagroop Singh Roopa & Manpreet Singh killed. We have recovered an AK47 & a pistol. 3 police officials have also suffered minor injuries" said Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav. He further said, "We were keeping track of accused in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case and our task force saw some movement in this area. We acted upon it. Our forensic team is at the spot for further investigation". An AK-47 and a pistol have been recovered from them. Anti-Gangster Task Force officials confirmed that the encounter has ended. The encounter took place at Bhakna Kalan village in the Amritsar rural belt. The Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Task Force had been tailing the two men -- unidentified gangsters -- when the encounter started at Bhakna village. The area has been cordoned off and people told to stay indoors, the sources added. On July 18, the Punjab and Haryana High Court denied anticipatory bail to Slain singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala's manager, Shaganpreet Singh (currently in Australia) in connection with the Youth Akali leader Vicky Middukhera's murder case. The Bench of Justice Anoop Chitkara was of the opinion that the status report of the investigation conducted by the Punjab police establishes that the prosecution has collected sufficient evidence pointing out a prima facie case against Shagun Preet Singh. On June 14, the Patiala House Court of Delhi allowed Punjab Police to arrest Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with Singer Sidhu Moose Wala murder case and also allowed Punjab Police transit application. The Court also directed Punjab Police to ensure that the medical examination of accused Lawrence Bishnoi be conducted as per law/rules before leaving Delhi and also before his production before the concerned Court of CJM, Mansa, Punjab. The Delhi court, while allowing Punjab Police applications, had earlier said, "The applicant Investigation Officer/SP Dharamveer Singh and the investigating agency were directed to take all the appropriate measures for safety and security of the accused Lawrence Bishnoi during transit till production of the accused Lawrence Bishnoi before the concerned Court at Mansa, Punjab." According to the petition filed by Punjab Police in the city court that Lawrence Bishnoi is a key conspirator of singer Sidhu Moose Wala. Punjab Police further submitted that during the investigation of the Sidhu Moose Wala murder case, the confession statements of the arrested accused were recorded wherein it was clearly pointed out that Lawrence Bishnoi had tasked the co-accused to carry out the "planned killing of Sidhu Moose Wala. Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by assailants in Jawaharke village of Punjab's Mansa district on May 29. The incident took place a day after his security was withdrawn by the Punjab police among 424 others. Notably, the singer had joined the Congress party last year in December ahead of the Assembly elections. -PTC News