Three arrested for murder of Suresh Raina's relatives: Punjab CM

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 16 (ANI): Announcing that the case related to the attack on the relatives of Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has been "solved", Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said three alleged members of an inter-state gang have been arrested in the matter.
Three members of an inter-state gang, which attacked the relatives of Indian cricketer Suresh Raina, have been arrested, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said on Wednesday.
Raina's uncle Ashok Kumar and cousin Kaushal Kumar had lost their lives while his aunt Asha Rani is in critical condition at a hospital after the family was attacked by a gang of robbers at their Pathankot residence on August 20.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said that the accused are a part of an inter-state gang of robber-criminals and added that eleven other members of the gang are yet to be arrested in the matter.
Amarinder Singh had, after the incident, ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to expeditiously investigate the case, registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including charges of murder, house-breaking/trespassing, and assault at Shapur Kandi Police Station.
According to the DGP, a gold ring, one ladies' ring, one ladies' gold chain and Rs 1,530, along with two wooden sticks, were recovered from the arrested accused. Those arrested have been identified as Sawan, Muhobbat and Shahrukh Khan.
"On September 15, the SIT received information that three suspects, who were seen at the Defence Road on the morning after the incident, were staying in jhuggis near the Pathankot railway station. A raid was conducted and all three were nabbed," the Punjab government said in an official statement.
It said that the initial investigation has revealed that they were operating as a gang along with others and had committed several such crimes earlier in Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and various parts of Punjab.
The police alleged that the accused came to Pathankot from Jagraon, where they had also committed a robbery on the night of August 14. In Pathankot, one Sanju, who knew the area well, also joined them, said the DGP, adding that the gang conducted a recee of the area.
"They had already identified a shuttering shop, where the bamboo ladders were tied up using chains. The first two houses where they put the ladders turned out to be a godown and an empty home, while the third was of Ashok Kumar," the statement said.
"Five of the accused entered the house using the ladder from the side of the roof, where they saw three people lying on the mats. The suspects hit them on the head before moving into the house, where they attacked two others before escaping with cash and gold ornaments," it added.
It said that the accused then crossed the high tension electricity wires through the open field to reach the canal, where they separated in groups of twos and threes to reach the railway station. They disappeared after distributing the cash and jewellery among themselves, it added. (ANI)