Jammu, 19 March (H.S.): Jammu and Kashmir Police have solved the murder of an ex-serviceman near the Chatha campus of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences, Jammu (SKUAST-J), arresting two accused, including the victim’s brother-in-law, who allegedly planned the crime.

Addressing media persons here, Senior Superintendent of Police Jammu, Joginder Singh, said the killing was the result of a long-standing family dispute, with the main accused hiring a butcher to carry out the attack.

The incident took place on March 16 when the victim, Balbir Singh, aged about 47, was returning home from the Miran Sahib area.

The SSP Jammu said that the accused chased the army man on a scooty and near a bridge close to the university campus, one of the assailants-the butcher-got off the vehicle and stabbed him multiple times with a sharp-edged weapon, leaving him in a pool of blood.

He said the injured man was immediately taken to Government Medical College Jammu by a team of police officers, where he was declared brought dead.

Following the crime, he said, an FIR under the relevant sections of the law was registered at Police Station Satwari and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by SDPO Gandhi Nagar under the supervision of SP South was constituted. SHO Satwari, Incharge Police Post Chatha and other police officers were the members of the SIT.

The SSP Jammu said the team analysed CCTV footage and developed leads, leading to the arrest of Dharminder Singh of Bhor Camp, identified as the main conspirator, and Ravinder Singh alias Fateh of Govindpura, Chatha, who executed the attack.

He said the murder was planned around one-and-a-half months ago following frequent domestic disputes and tension within the family.

The police officer said the weapon used in the crime, believed to be a tool used for slaughtering animals, was dumped in a nearby nallah and efforts are underway to recover it.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar