Amarjit Singh, commonly known as Bittu, the prime suspect in the murder case of Nanakmatta Gurdwara’s Kar Seva head, Baba Tarsem Singh, was shot dead in an encounter with the Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) and Haridwar police in the early hours of Tuesday. The encounter took place in the early hours of Tuesday in Thana Bhagwanpur area of the city.

According to the news agency ANI, Bittu’s second accomplice managed to escape, prompting a rigorous search operation by the STF and police.

Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Abhinav Kumar emphasized the state police’s commitment to resolving Baba Tarsem Singh’s murder, describing it as a challenge. He affirmed that the police would take stringent action against criminals involved in such heinous crimes within Uttarakhand.

Amarjit Singh alias Bittu was reportedly involved in more than 16 criminal cases, highlighting the gravity of his criminal history.

The tragic incident occurred on March 28 when two assailants on a motorcycle entered the premises of Nanakmatta Gurudwara and fatally shot Baba Tarsem Singh, who was seated inside his ‘dera’. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Baba Tarsem Singh succumbed to his injuries.

Eyewitnesses recounted the chilling moment when the gunmen breached the Gurudwara’s gates and unleashed gunfire at Baba Tarsem Singh, causing panic and shock among the devotees present.

In the aftermath of the crime, five individuals, including a retired IAS officer, were implicated in connection with the murder. The suspects named in the First Information Report (FIR) included Sarabjit Singh, Amarjeet Singh, IAS officer Harbans Singh Chugh, Baba Anup Singh, and Pritam Singh Sandhu, the vice-president of a regional Sikh outfit.

Nanakmatta Sahib Gurdwara, situated on the Rudrapur-Tanakpur route in Udham Singh Nagar district, holds immense religious significance for the Sikh community, making the brutal murder of Baba Tarsem Singh all the more appalling.