Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 17

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) leader Ravinder Gosain, 58, was today shot dead outside his house in Gagandeep Colony by two masked men on a bike at 7.30 am. The police found two empty cartridges at the site.

Police sources said it was likely that the shots were fired from two weapons as the empty cartridges were of .30 bore and .32 bore pistols.

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Following Intelligence inputs, the Punjab Police had issued an alert to local Hindu leaders and also held a meeting with them.

This is the second major killing in Ludhiana in three months. In July, pastor Sultan Masih was murdered outside a church in Salem Tabri. The police have been unable to solve the murders of RSS leader Jagdish Gagneja, Shiv Sena leader Durga Gupta, pastor Masih and two dera followers in the past two years.

Ravinder was ‘mukhya shikshak’ (headteacher) at an RSS shakha and BJP’s RTI coordinator in Ludhiana.

The deceased’s daughter-in-law, Pooja, an eyewitness to the crime, said: “My father-in-law came home at 7.20 am. My son Dikshit (7) and daughter Dikshita (4) asked him to buy them pencils from a nearby shop. As he stepped out of the house, carrying Dikshita in his lap and Dikshit standing next to him, two men on a yellow motorcycle opened fire. He was hit in the back and near his eye. My husband, who rushed out, tried to chase the assailants, but in vain.”

Dikshita fell on the ground and escaped unharmed. “They asked grandfather to turn around and killed him,” the little girl kept repeating. CCTV footage showed the two suspects riding a Honda Stunner. The police said the number plate was fake (PB37 7221). The suspects were spotted roaming in the area at 6.20 am, probably for a recce. Another CCTV footage showed three men on a black bike, one wearing a helmet and the faces of the two on the pillion covered with a cloth.

Yash Giri, RSS general secretary, Ludhiana and Khanna zone, pointed out that the police were yet to trace RSS leader Gagneja’s killers.

Police Commissioner RN Dhoke has formed a special investigation team under the DCP-Crime to crack the case.

“We have certain clues. The culprits will be behind bars soon,” Dhoke claimed.