Punjab Police today announced a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh and a sub inspector's job to anyone who provides information about the killers of a father-son duo who were followers of Dera Saccha Sauda.
"We have announced a reward of Rs 50 lakh and a post of SI for information about the assailants. The identity of anyone who provides information will be kept secret," DIG (Ludhiana Range) S K Kalia said.
Kalia, who is heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to crack the case, said the police need support from the public in identifying the assailants.
Two unidentified bike-borne gunmen had killed Satpal (65) and his son Ramesh Kumar (35) when they were working at the Dera's canteen around 7 PM on February 25 at Jagera village, about 55 km from Ludhiana.
Both were shot in the head with a .32 bore weapon from a point blank range.
"We have formed 16 teams which are working on this case," Kalia said.
Police are yet to identify the assailants, who even though visible in CCTV footage, were wearing caps and had their faces covered.
Angered at the killings, a large number of Dera followers had blocked the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road and refused to cremate the bodies demanding that the killers be arrested.
The Dera supporters agreed to cremate bodies and lifted the road blockade only after the intervention of Punjab Police Director General of Police (Law & Order) Hardeep Dhillon.
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Kalia said the main purpose of killing the two Dera
followers at Jaghera was to disturb peace in the state.
Speaking to mediapersons in Ludhiana, he said prima-facie, it is the handiwork of the same gang which had killed senior RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja in Jalandhar and Hindu leader Amit Sharma in Ludhiana.
To corroborate his claims, the Ludhiana range DIG said in all these cases the modus operandi adopted by the killers was the same. They had covered their faces, used motor bikes and used the same weapons.
He sought cooperation form the people of the state in solving the case.
