Rajasthan murder accused on way to court with 6 cops shot dead by gangsters
Kuldeep Singh Jaghina was arrested in September 2022 last year following the murder of a local BJP leader Kirpal Singh
BHARATPUR: A 39-year-old undertrial arrested last year for murder was shot dead when he and an associate were being taken to a Bharatpur court in a Rajasthan Roadways bus on Wednesday, police said.
The deceased was identified by the police as Kuldeep Singh Jaghina. His associate, Vijaypal, is being treated for minor injuries. The policemen accompanying the two prisoners and the other bus passengers did not sustain any injuries.
The two accused were being escorted to the district court in a state roadways bus by a team of six policemen armed with two rifles when about eight armed men travelling in a car and two motorcycles forced the bus to stop near Amoli toll plaza in Bharatpur’s Halena area.
As soon as they entered the bus, the suspects first threw chilli powder at policemen and started firing on Kuldeep Singh Jaghina. Police said Kuldeep Jaghina was hit by more than 10 bullets. The policemen managed to protect Vijaypal from a direct assault, said additional commissioner of police (administration) Rahul Prakash, according to news agency PTI. He said the police team did not open fire in view of the security of the bus passengers.
Kuldeep Singh Jaghina and Vijaypal were arrested in September last year in connection with the murder of Kripal Singh, who was also a resident of Jaghina village and was a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. Police said he was also an accused in some criminal cases.
Kuldeep Singh, his father Kumar jeet Singh and Vijaypal Singh were arrested in this case
Bharatpur superintendent of police Mridul Kachchawa said the two undertrials were taken to RBM. Government Hospital Bharatpur. Kuldeep Singh died before he reached the hospital.
Kachchawa said one vehicle used in the crime has been seized and the accused have been identified. They will be apprehended soon, he said. Nearby districts including Dausa have been alerted and checking of vehicles stepped up on highways.
Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore took a swipe at the authorities for the incident. “Gangsters in the state are so fearless that the accused in the Kirpal Jaghina murder case in Bharatpur were shot dead in the presence of the police, who were taking them in a roadways bus for court appearance, and the police administration watched helplessly.” He also questioned the practice of using state roadways buses to ferry gangsters for court appearances.
