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A former DSP and two former inspectors were critically injured inside the Central Jail in Patiala when they were attacked by a jail inmate, Sandeep Singh alias Sunny, who has been charged with the murder of Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri. The three injured police officers, two of whom have been convicted in fake encounter cases, are admitted at ICU.

 

A senior jail official said the incident took place in the high-security barrack where the accused and the victims, including former DSP Gurbachan Singh, retired Inspector Subba Singh and dismissed Inspector Inderjit Singh, were lodged separately.

 

A jail official said Sunny attacked the three former policemen with a pipe in the verandah of the barrack. “The condition of Subba Singh is very critical, while the other two have also suffered grievous head injuries,” he said.

 

Punjab IG (Prisons) Roop Kumar Arora said they have ordered a thorough inquiry into the incident and strict action is being taken as per law.

 

Also read: Punjab ex-cops get life imprisonment for 1992 fake encounter

 

In November last year, Sunny was shifted to the high-security barrack after a perceived threat to his safety by some jail inmates following his argument with them. Sunny had allegedly shot Suri outside Gopal Mandir in Amritsar in November 2022 in broad daylight.

 

A case under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered against Sunny at the Tripuri police station. The police will seek his remand for questioning. “We need to know the reason behind the attack, which is not clear as of now,” said Patiala SSP Varun Sharma.

 

Dismissed Inspector Inderjeet was arrested in 2017 with 3 kg of smack, 4 kg of heroin and a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 and an Italy-made pistol. He is also facing charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

 

Retired Inspector Subba Singh (83) was jailed last month, along with four other retired police officials, in a 1993 fake encounter of seven youths from a Tarn Taran village. Former DSP Gurbachan Singh had been sentenced to life imprisonment last year in a 1992 fake encounter case.