Nakodar cloth merchant Timmy Chawla’s security guard succumbs

Businessman, his gunman were attacked on Wednesday night

After the death of Nakodar-based garment trader Bhupinder Singh Chawla, popularly known as Timmy Chawla, last night, his gunman Mandeep Singh also succumbed to gunshot injuries this morning.

The 39-year-old garment businessman had been receiving ransom and threat calls for the past month, regarding which repeated complaints had been made to the police. On November 1, he received a WhatsApp call from a man, who identified himself as Rinda and demanded Rs 30 lakh from him.

Following police complaints, Timmy had been provided with a gunman. The police claimed two gunmen had been provided to him a month ago.

Timmy was shot by five unidentified bike-borne men last night when he was getting into his Brezza car in front of his garment store in the Royal Tower complex at Malri Road, Nakodar. Both Timmy and his gunman were shot in the incident. As per preliminary reports, Timmy was shot four times and gunman Mandeep Singh was shot five times.

While Timmy died on the spot, his gunman had been admitted to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries this morning.

Timmy, who was married, was father of two girls, aged seven and four. His cousinbrother Shaify Chawla is the president of the BJP Yuva Morcha, Jalandhar Rural.

An FIR has been lodged against five unidentified persons under Sections 302, 307 and 34 of the IPC and 24, 54, 59 of the Arms Act at the Nakodar City police station. Timmy’s last rites were conducted at Nakodar today with a large number of people turning up at the cremation to extend solidarity with the family.

Jalandhar Range IG Gursharan Singh Sandhu said: “Two gunmen had been provided to Timmy Chawla a month ago. The second gunman was not present with him at the time of the incident. An FIR had also been lodged in the case of extortion calls to him.”

Rs 2 crore for brave cop

 

• Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 1 crore to kin of constable Mandeep Singh who laid down his life in the line of duty
• “Salute to martyr Mandeep Singh who has made the supreme sacrifice in line of duty. The Punjab Government will make an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore
• “Another Rs 1 crore insurance payment will be made by HDFC Bank,” the CM tweeted

Cop’s Family in shock

• “He fought bravely till the end,” says the father-in-law of deceased constable Mandeep Singh. Family and friends remembered Mandeep as a bright and brave person, who put duty before his life
• Mandeep Singh got married only three years ago and is survived by his wife, a son, parents and a brother
• It was a personal loss for the Nakodar City police station where Mandeep had been posted only a month ago. Labh Singh, SHO of the Nakodar City police station, said Mandeep was defiant till the end

Sad reflection on govt, says leader of opposition

• Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the gruesome murder of a cloth merchant, who was provided security by the Punjab Police, in Nakodar on Wednesday was a sad reflection on the capability of the AAP government
• “I would appeal to the CM to stop theatrics and show genuine concern for the lives of the peace-loving people of the state. No amount of monetary compensation or words can make up for the loss of an earning hand in the family,” Bajwa said
• “If such a trend is not checked with seriousness, I fear the day is not far when the situation gets out of control and the people of Punjab would never forgive the Aam Aadmi Party-led government for its misrule,” he added

©The Tribune