Jammu Police solve brutal killing of former serviceman, conspiracy traced to family dispute

JAMMU, MARCH 18: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday claimed to have solved the sensational murder of an ex-serviceman near the Chatha campus of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, with the arrest of two accused, including the victim’s brother-in-law, who is alleged to have masterminded the crime over a prolonged family dispute.

Senior Superintendent of Police Jammu, Joginder Singh, while addressing a press conference, said that the murder of 47-year-old Balbir Singh was not a random act of violence but a premeditated crime rooted in long-standing domestic discord. He said the main accused had allegedly conspired to eliminate the former serviceman and hired another person, reportedly a butcher by profession, to execute the attack.

According to police, the incident took place on March 16 when Balbir Singh was returning to his home from the Miran Sahib area. The accused allegedly followed him on a scooty and intercepted him near a bridge close to the SKUAST-J Chatha campus. Investigators said one of the assailants got off the vehicle and attacked the ex-serviceman repeatedly with a sharp-edged weapon, leaving him critically injured on the spot.

Police officers rushed the victim to Government Medical College Jammu, but doctors declared him brought dead. The brutal nature of the attack sent shockwaves through the area and triggered an immediate police response.

Soon after the incident, Police Station Satwari registered an FIR under relevant provisions of law and launched a full-scale investigation. A Special Investigation Team was constituted under the supervision of SP South and led by SDPO Gandhi Nagar. The team included SHO Satwari, Incharge Police Post Chatha and other senior officers, who began examining all possible angles.

The breakthrough came after investigators carefully scanned CCTV footage and pursued multiple leads. During the investigation, police arrested Dharminder Singh of Bhor Camp, identified as the alleged conspirator, and Ravinder Singh alias Fateh of Govindpura, Chatha, who is said to have carried out the fatal assault.

The SSP said the murder conspiracy had allegedly been in the making for nearly one and a half months, driven by persistent family tensions and repeated domestic disputes. He added that the weapon used in the crime, believed to be a slaughtering tool, was thrown into a nearby nallah after the attack, and efforts are currently underway to recover it.

Police have not ruled out the involvement of other persons in the case. The SSP said investigators are also examining the possible role of additional individuals, including the deceased’s wife, as part of the ongoing probe.

The case has once again highlighted how deep-rooted family disputes can escalate into shocking acts of violence. With the arrest of the two accused, police say a major breakthrough has been achieved, though further investigation is continuing to establish the full chain of conspiracy and identify any other persons connected to the crime.