Nearly 16 years after the murder of senior Namdhari sect leader Avtar Singh Tari, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has released a sketch of one of the suspected assailants and announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for sharing information about the accused.
Avtar Singh Tari, a follower of the Namdhari sect, was murdered by two unknown motorcycle-borne assailants on April 12 2011 at Katani Kalan-Chandigarh main road, near Ludhiana. The attackers allegedly fired at him with an AK-47 rifle.
“In this regard, CBI, SCB, Chandigarh, registered a case number RC 05120 1750004 on January 1, 2017 and is conducting investigation,” reads the communique.
“The CBI hereby declares a reward of Rs 2 lakh to any person who can provide credible information leading to the solving of the murder case and apprehension of the accused,” the agency said, adding that the identity of the informer would be kept confidential.
The agency appealed to members of the public to come forward with any information about the murder and asked them to contact the investigating officer or supervisory officer at the CBI office in Sector 30-A, Chandigarh.
Avtar Singh, 57, a resident of Mohali, was a close associate of Sant Jagtar Singh, son-in-law of then Namdhari sect chief Satguru Jagjit Singh. Considered an influential figure within the Namdhari community, he was engaged in farming and real estate and reportedly travelled daily to Bhaini Sahib.
Avtar Singh was driving from Mohali to Bhaini Sahib in a Toyota Corolla. When he neared Katani Kalan around 11 am, he suspected that some persons were following him. He briefly stopped at a relative’s shop at Katani Kalan. As he stepped out of the shop, two persons opened fire, killing him on the spot.
The attackers reportedly fired 11 rounds before escaping on a motorcycle. Investigators believe one suspect was dressed in a white kurta-pyjama with a white parna (headgear), while the other wore green trousers.
Police had then linked the murder to a succession dispute within the 209-year-old Namdhari sect. At the time, police registered a case at Sahnewal police station against Thakur Dalip Singh and two unidentified persons on the complaint of Avtar Singh’s brother-in-law, Balwant Singh.
However, after nearly six years of investigation, the probe was shifted to the CBI.
Thakur Dalip Singh, a nephew of Satguru Jagjit Singh, later became the head of a rival breakaway faction centred around Sirsa in Haryana.
Investigations also revealed that Avtar Singh had survived at least two prior attacks, with cases registered in Mohali.
