JAMMU, JANUARY 8: A local trader from Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district who, in order to evade repayment of debt worth Rs 30 lakh, pretended to have died along with his wife and a minor daughter, finally landed in police custody.
Identifying him as Manjeet Singh of village Sengoi (Bhalara) in Bhaderwah, SSP Doda Abdul Qayoom said that police on December 20 last received information that an Alto car No. JK06A-6311 had plunged into Chenab river near Gadsoo area of Doda. One receiving information, senior police officers rushed to the spot and pressed into service rescue teams and machinery to launch rescue operation.
During inspection of the spot, the police found as broken number plate of the vehicle, two identity cards, driving licence and eShraman card of Manjeet Singh and a purse. As per evidence available, it was presumed that Manjeet Singh along with his wife Sonia Devi and 6-year-old daughter were travelling in the car from Bhaderwah to Jammu when it fell into Chenab river.
With the use of recovery vehicle (CRANE) and hectic efforts of rescue teams in which boats of SDRF were also used, the Alto car was also retrieved from Chenab river, but no dead body /luggage was found inside it.
While continuing their search for the missing people, the police at the same time enquired about their other aspects like financial condition etc., only to find that Manjeet Singh had taken nearly Rs 30 lakh worth loan from banks and private lenders so as to establish his business. Moreover, his financial condition was not good.
Accordingly, making use of CCTV footages, SSP Doda asked the cyber cell to lg technical leade, he constituted a team led by incharge Bhalla police post, probationary sub inspector Ankush Kumar Sharma, under the supervision of SHO Bhaderwah Inspector Jatinder Singh to search the missing persons in Punjab and Haryana.
Following after hectic efforts and with the help of Haryana Police, trio were located and found alive in village Abhaypura, Phase-1, Panchukala, Haryana. They have been brought back to Doda, police said, adding further action under law will follow against them.