PHAGWARA: In a dramatic breakthrough to a case that had gripped the region with anxiety, Kapurthala Police headed by SSP Gaurav Toora IPS have recovered the bodies of two kidnapping victims and arrested all key accused within days of the crime, unraveling a chilling plot marked by deception, brutality, and meticulous investigation.
The bodies of a lawyer Sanjeev Kumar and his friend Anju Paul, who had gone missing from AGI Flats in Phagwara on the night of April 19–20, were recovered on Tuesday late evening from a field in Village Chahar, District Ludhiana. The recovery followed sustained interrogation and technical analysis that exposed the involvement of a criminal gang led by Harwinder Singh, a parolee with a record of violent crimes.
SSP Toora while giving the details of the achievement told selective journalists here today that acting on confessions and electronic evidence, a police team led by S.P.(D) Kapurthala located the burial site in the presence of Executive Magistrate and forensic experts. This marked the final chapter in a case that unfolded with rapid investigative progress.
The turning point came just 24 hours after the case was formally registered on April 24, when FIR No. 43 was lodged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act at Police Station Sadar Phagwara, following a complaint by Sudesh Kumar, father of victim Sanjeev. His report, combined with the eye-witness account of Palakdeep, daughter of Anju Paul, revealed that the duo had been abducted at gunpoint by three masked men.
Immediately, police launched a multi-agency probe involving SP (D) Kapurthala Prabhjot Singh Virk, S.P. Phagwara Rupinder Kaur Bhatti, DSP Phagwara Bharat Bhushan, DSP Detective, CIA teams, and local units. Investigators pieced together CCTV footage, conducted forensic sweeps, and collected both technical and human intelligence.
SSP Toora said-The initial breakthrough came with the identification and arrest of four accused—Kuldeep alias Billa, Balraj Kaur, Rupinder alias Pinda, and the main conspirator Harwinder Singh—by April 28. Harwinder, who had fled to Gujarat, was arrested in coordination with Gujarat Police and brought back to Punjab on transit remand. His eight-day interrogation proved crucial.
Despite misleading investigators by initially claiming the victims were thrown into the Rajasthan feeder canal, Harwinder eventually confessed to strangling them in a secluded Ludhiana field, along with co-accused Manjot Singh alias Fruity and Jagseer alias Kalu. The crime, police revealed, was premeditated and executed with chilling precision.
Further arrests followed. On April 25, Jashanpreet Singh alias Jassu, who provided logistical support and disposed of the abduction vehicle, was nabbed. Manjot Singh was later arrested on May 5, completing the primary circle of accused.
SSP Gaurav Toora, addressing a press conference in Phagwara, highlighted the gravity of the crime and the swift, coordinated response by police. “This case reflects the highest standards of professional policing. Despite deliberate misdirection by the accused, we remained focused on evidence, leading to the arrests and recovery of bodies, ” he said.
Investigations have also revealed that Harwinder Singh, previously convicted in a 2012 double murder case and sentenced to life imprisonment, committed this crime while out on parole—a detail that has sparked wider concerns about parole oversight.
All key accused remain in custody, and further interrogations are ongoing to explore their possible involvement in other unresolved crimes.
The successful resolution of this case within days of the complaint not only brings closure to the bereaved families but also underscores the Kapurthala Police's commitment to justice and public safety.