Mohali: More than two weeks after the murder of a govt school headmaster in Kharar, Mohali police arrested the main accused, Sartaj Singh, from Delhi airport upon his return from Canada. He was produced before a Kharar court, which remanded him to four days of police custody.Gursevak Singh was attacked with sharp-edged weapons on Aug 5 and succumbed to his injuries three days later. Following the murder, police booked Harpreet Kaur, a teacher at the same school where Gursevak served as headmaster, and her husband, Sartaj Singh.Police had issued a look-out circular (LOC) against Sartaj after the murder. On his return to India, immigration authorities detained him on the basis of the LOC and handed him over to Mohali police.Police said Sartaj had fled to Canada shortly after the killing. According to DSP Kharar Ishan Singla, investigators kept up pressure by initiating proceedings related to the accused’s properties and bank accounts and by maintaining contact through his close relatives.“Despite leaving the country, Sartaj remained in touch with his family members. Sustained pressure through his relatives and legal action eventually forced him to return to India,” Singla said.Investigators claim they have gathered substantial evidence linking Sartaj to the murder. During custody, police will question him about the alleged conspiracy, the role of other accused, and the vehicle used in the crime. Officers are also examining a Ford Figo car and other evidence for possible links to an earlier attack on Gursevak Singh in Sector 71 around six weeks before the murder.During questioning, however, Sartaj denied any intention to kill the headmaster. According to police, he claimed Gursevak Singh had been harassing his wife and that he had gone merely to confront him. He alleged that the situation spiralled into a physical altercation during which the headmaster suffered fatal injuries. Police said his version is being verified.The probe has also widened to include other accused. While police sources claimed Sartaj’s wife, who is also named in the case, had fled to Australia, senior officers said they had no official information confirming her whereabouts.Police had earlier stated they had no information about Sartaj leaving for Canada after the murder. His arrest upon returning from Canada has raised questions about the circumstances under which he left the country and the police’s earlier assertions.With the main accused now in custody, investigators are focusing on piecing together the sequence of events that led to the murder and establishing the role played by each accused in the case.
