Senior journalist KJ Singh was found dead at his Mohali residence on Saturday (Express photo by Jaipal Singh) Senior journalist KJ Singh was found dead at his Mohali residence on Saturday (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)

On directions from Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the Punjab Police has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murders of senior journalist K J Singh and his 92-year-old mother Gurcharan Kaur. The duo were found dead at their residence in Mohali’s phase 3B2 on Saturday. The murderers, who are yet to be identified, are believed to be more than one in number. Singh was found with his throat slit while his mother was strangulated. Mohali DSP Alam Vijay Singh, too, said there were injury marks on their necks.

Mohali DSP Alam Vijay Singh, said there were injury marks on their necks.

Singh has worked in senior positions at The Indian Express and The Times of India in Chandigarh.

K J Singh’s green-coloured Ford Ikon is also missing from his home. Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal had said they are working on various theories. He, however, ruled out theft as the reason behind the twin murder. “We have some leads. We will soon arrest the culprits,” he said.

Singh was in his 60s while his mother Gurcharan Kaur was 92-years-old. Senior police officials have reached the spot.

KJ Singh’s mother Gurcharan Kaur (92) (Express photo by Jaipal Singh) KJ Singh’s mother Gurcharan Kaur (92) (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal has expressed shock at Singh’s demise.

“Just heard senior journalist KJ Singh has been murdered along with his mother.Condemn this killing and urge authorities to nab culprits imm. I condemn ghastly murder of senior journalist KJ Singh and his mother at Mohali. Urge police to nab perpetrators imm.”

Just heard senior journalist KJ Singh has been murdered along with his mother.Condemn this killing and urge authorities to nab culprits imm. — Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) September 23, 2017

Condemning the murder, Indian Journalists Union, (IJU) in a statement said, “Three journalists killed in last three weeks in different parts of the country exposing the fragility of the safety of journalists in the country.” The union also urged the Punjab CM to immediately take steps to track down the murderers of K J Singh and his mother to allay the fears of journalists community.

Grieving family members at slain journalist KJ Singh’s residence (Express photo by Jaipal Singh) Grieving family members at slain journalist KJ Singh’s residence (Express photo by Jaipal Singh)

Singh’s murder comes weeks after 55-year-old senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside her residence in Bengaluru. Lankesh, known to be an anti-establishment voice with strident anti-right wing views, was shot dead at close range by unknown assailants. Last week, Shantanu Bhowmick, a local TV journalist in Tripura, was beaten to death while covering a political clash between the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura and the Tripura Rajaer Upajati Ganamukti Parishad.

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