Mohali: A 48-year-old govt school headmaster, Gursevak Singh, was murdered after unidentified assailants attacked him with an axe and sharp-edged weapons outside his residence in Kharar. He succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Sunday morning, three days after the attack.Following his death, the police converted the earlier attempt-to-murder case into a murder case and booked school teacher Harpreet Kaur and her husband, Sartaj Singh, in connection with the killing. Harpreet Kaur is also posted at Government School, Kumbra, where Gursevak Singh was serving as headmaster.DSP Kharar Ishan Singla said, “Gursevak Singh was attacked three days ago. Following his death during treatment at the hospital, a murder case has been registered against school teacher Harpreet Kaur and her husband, Sartaj Singh. Police teams have been dispatched to arrest both of them.”According to the police, Gursevak Singh was outside his house when a group of youths arrived in a white car and attacked him with an axe and a sharp-edged weapon. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed to hospital after the attack. The assailants fled from the spot in the same vehicle.The police had initially registered a case of attempt to murder against unidentified persons. However, after Gursevak Singh died during treatment on Sunday morning, the murder charge was added and Harpreet Kaur and Sartaj Singh were named as accused.However, police sources said the alleged attack may have been linked to the deceased’s alleged behaviour towards his colleague, Harpreet Kaur. The sources said the exact motive behind the attack would be ascertained only after the accused are arrested and interrogated.Earlier attack had taken place six weeks agoThe investigation has also brought to light an earlier attack on Gursevak Singh in Sector 71 around one-and-a-half months ago.According to the police, Gursevak had then approached the Mataur police station and alleged that he had been attacked by Sartaj Singh, the husband of teacher Harpreet Kaur, at her behest. However, no FIR was registered in that case at the time.Following the fatal attack, the police have started examining the earlier incident as well to determine whether it was connected with the murder.Crime scene recreated, CCTV footage examinedAfter the attack, police teams inspected the area outside Gursevak Singh’s residence and recreated the crime scene to establish the sequence of events.Investigators examined the route taken by the attackers, the manner in which the assault was carried out and the direction in which the assailants fled. CCTV footage from cameras installed in the vicinity is also being scrutinised to identify the accused and establish their movements before and after the attack.Police teams have been dispatched to different locations to trace Harpreet Kaur and Sartaj Singh.Headmaster was in-charge of smart schoolsGursevak Singh was serving as headmaster of Government School, Kumbra, and was also handling the responsibility of district in-charge of smart schools.He is survived by his wife, who is also a teacher, and their 16-year-old son, who studies in Class 11. The family was left devastated following his death.The police are investigating the motive behind the killing and are also examining the circumstances surrounding the earlier alleged assault on the headmaster.
