Punjab ASI's killers get life term

A district court here Friday handed life term to five people, including an Akali Dal leader, for the December 2012 murder of a Punjab Police officer.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Ravinder Pal Singh was shot dead on the outskirts of Amritsar in Chhehrata area, 270 km from the state capital Chandigarh.

He was trying to save his young daughter from being harassed by Ranjit Singh Rana, then Amritsar district Akali Dal general secretary, and his goons.

Rana had been stalking the girl for a few days before the incident.

The police officer was in uniform when Rana fired at and injured him. The attackers returned after some time with more weapons and shot the ASI in the chest, leaving him dead.

Rana was later expelled from the Akali Dal.

The area SHO was dismissed from service as police officials in the area failed to reach the spot even 30 minutes after the incident.

"My father has died. He is not going to return. We will go to the high court and seek death sentence for the convicted people. I was the sole eyewitness and I told everything to the court," the victim's daughter said after the verdict Friday.