SRINAGAR: Police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district have solved a blind murder case within four days of the incident, arresting the accused from Himachal Pradesh and recovering the weapon of offence, officials said on Tuesday.
The case relates to the shooting death of Roop Singh, a resident of Dhanna village and a contractor by profession, which took place during the intervening night of May 15 and 16, 2026, in the jurisdiction of Police Station Lakhanpur. Following the incident, FIR No. 51/2026 was registered under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 3/25 of the Arms Act.
A special investigation team was constituted under the supervision of senior officers, led by DSP DAR Bhagwan Das Dandiya and SHO Lakhanpur Neeraj Chaudhary. Police examined the crime scene, collected technical and scientific evidence, and questioned several individuals during the initial stages of investigation.
During the inquiry, police identified Sardar Singh, a resident of Tridwan in Kathua district, as a suspect after it emerged that he had gone missing following the incident. Investigators said he had been working as a labourer for the deceased and had a pending payment of around Rs 6,000, which had led to a dispute between them.
According to police, preliminary investigation revealed that the accused allegedly used his father’s 12-bore gun, went to the victim’s residence and shot him while he was asleep near a window. He reportedly fled the scene the following morning after noticing increased police activity.
Police teams carried out searches across multiple districts in Jammu and Kashmir and extended the operation to neighbouring states, working in coordination with Himachal Pradesh Police. Technical inputs and local intelligence were used to track the accused.
The accused was arrested on May 19, 2026, at around 7 am from Sansarpur Terrace in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, after four days of searches. During questioning, he allegedly confessed to the crime, and the weapon used in the offence was recovered on the basis of his disclosure.
Police said further investigation in the case is underway and legal proceedings will follow.
