Ludhiana: Police have launched a murder investigation after a local plumber died following an alleged attack where he was forced to consume poison by three acquaintances.The victim, Gurpreet Singh of Beed Gagda village, managed to record a “dying declaration” with authorities before succumbing to the toxin during treatment. Based on his testimony, investigators have charged three individuals —identified as Happy, Geeta, and Geeta’s wife — with murder.Inspector Surjit Singh, SHO of Sadar Jagraon police station, has said that the motive appears to be a toxic blend of professional jealousy and financial dispute. Both Happy and Geeta worked in the same plumbing trade as Gurpreet. “Gurpreet’s business was doing well, which reportedly irked the accused,” Inspector Singh said. “Happy had been repeatedly threatening him over the past few days, demanding he stop working in the area.“Police also revealed that the suspects and the victim were embroiled in a dispute over a ₹10,000 transaction, which further soured their relationship. In his final statement to the police, Gurpreet detailed a harrowing encounter. The accused allegedly intercepted Gurpreet on a road leading to a local cremation ground.The trio is accused of overpowering Gurpreet and forcibly administering a poisonous substance. Gurpreet was moved to a govt hospital, where he provided his statement to officers shortly before passing away. While the case was initially registered as an attempt to murder, it was upgraded to a murder charge under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following Gurpreet’s death.“The body has been handed over to the family following a post-mortem examination, which will officially confirm the cause of death,” the SHO stated. While the suspects remain at large, police confirmed that multiple raids are underway across the district to apprehend the trio.
