In a major breakthrough, Mohali police have arrested Gaurav Kumar, the prime accused in the double murder of senior journalist KJ Singh and his mother, who has been on the run since 2020. Kumar, a resident of Pipala village in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested from Noida on Thursday. The arrest was made under the supervision of DSP Naveenpal Singh Lehal (PPS), Special Crime Cell and Nodal Officer, PO Wing, and led by SI Balwinder Singh.
Lehal told The Indian Express that it took more than two-and-a-half months of continuous surveillance and intelligence gathering from the police to track down and arrest the fugitive. “Using technical and human intelligence, we traced his past contacts and movements. Ultimately, we discovered that Gaurav had been working for the last two-and-a-half years in a large Noida residential society that has over 500 homes,” he said.
“Initially employed as a security guard, he was later promoted to head of security and then to director of the Residents Welfare Association (RWA). Shockingly, the RWA never conducted any background investigation without knowing that its director was accused of a wanted double murder.”
The police revealed that most of the community’s residents are elderly people and retirees who were stunned when they learned the truth.
The Democratic Society Party added: “In the past four months alone, we have tracked down and arrested more than 120 fugitives and murder suspects. Our campaign against fugitives and hardened criminals will continue. Those who evade justice will face the full force of the law.”
A case was registered against Gaurav at Mohali police station on September 23, 2017, under Sections 302, 411, 449, 465, 468, 471 and 201 IPC.
According to the investigation, on the night of September 22-23, 2017, Gaurav entered KG Singh’s house and killed him and his mother Gurcharan Kaur. Police said that a heated argument had taken place earlier that day between the journalist and Gaurav in a nearby park, during which the former allegedly slapped him. An angry Gaurav bought a knife and killed the two victims before fleeing the scene.
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A few days later, Gaurav was caught driving Singh’s stolen Ford Ikon car, and police recovered a mobile phone, ATM card, TV, DVD player and set-top box from his possession.
A Mohali court declared Gaurav a proclaimed guilty party in 2022 after he evaded bail and went into hiding.
Meanwhile, the sister of the senior journalist, when contacted, said she expressed relief at the arrest.
“We had almost given up hope of getting justice,” she said. “We learned about this arrest through you. We are deeply grateful to the police for their commendable work. The man who took the lives of my brother and mother must now receive the punishment he deserves.”
(Marks for translation) Journalist KJ Singh killed
