AAP leader Lucky Oberoi's murder: Key accused arrested after police encounter

Punjab Police on Saturday said they had arrested the key accused in the murder of Aam Aadmi Party leader Lucky Oberoi after a brief encounter in Amritsar and recovered a pistol from his possession.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Border Range) Sandeep Goel said the accused, identified as Shaminder Singh, was caught in Amritsar. “We have nabbed one accused Shaminder Singh, who was involved in killing of AAP leader Lucky Oberoi after a brief encounter. Accused Shaminder received bullet injury. Encounter took place in Khasa area of Amritsar district,” he said.

The accused is a resident of Jalandhar and has a criminal history, police said.

HOW THE ARREST UNFOLDED

Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar Rural, Suhail Qasim Mir said police had received specific inputs that Shaminder was hiding in the area and trying to evade arrest. Acting on the information, teams set up nakas and began checking vehicles in and around Khasa.

During the operation, the suspect was seen approaching on a motorcycle. When signalled to stop, he panicked and tried to turn back, lost control and fell, the SSP said.

“In an attempt to escape thereafter, the accused opened fire on the police party,” he said, adding that the police retaliated in self-defence. “Retaliatory firing was carried out, during which the accused sustained a gunshot injury.” He was then arrested and taken to hospital for treatment.

Police said a Beretta .30 bore pistol was recovered from his possession.

MORE ARRESTS LIKELY

The SSP said the accused has made “important disclosures” during preliminary questioning.

“On the basis of these disclosures, further raids and follow-up action are being conducted to apprehend the remaining accused,” he said.

A case in connection with the murder had already been registered at Police Station Division 6 in the Jalandhar Commissionerate under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.

AAP LEADER’S MURDER

Lucky Oberoi, 38, was shot dead in broad daylight on Friday morning outside a gurdwara in Model Town, Jalandhar.

CCTV footage that surfaced later showed a man in a black hoodie walking up to his vehicle, opening fire, and fleeing with an associate on a motorcycle.

Oberoi was rushed to a private hospital where doctors declared him dead. One of the attending doctors said he was brought in unconscious and his blood pressure was unrecordable, adding that five rounds had been fired at him and one bullet pierced his chest.

The brazen killing triggered sharp political reactions, with opposition leaders alleging a collapse of law and order, even as police launched a massive manhunt to identify and track down those involved.

With Saturday’s development, police say the investigation has moved forward, but efforts are on to arrest the rest of the suspects.

- Ends