CHANDIGARH: Himachal Pradesh Police has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for anybody providing information about the accused 54-year old Vijay Singh, owner of Narayani Guest House at Mando Matkanda near Kasauli, is still at large and suspected to be hiding in the forest area after killing Assistant Town and Country Planner, Kasauli, Shail Bala Sharma during a demolition drive being carried on the directions of Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police Sita Ram Mardi has announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for anybody providing information about Singh as the state police is on a manhunt in Shimla, Solan and Sirmaur districts to nab the accused. Also, the state police forces of neighbouring states have also been alerted.
“Singh had a licensed 3.2-bore pistol. Now we are probing how he got a licence for the pistol and from where it was purchased,” said Superintendent of Police of Solan Mohit Chawla.
Chawla said, “We have constituted five special teams to apprehend the accused besides deployment of adequate police force on all 13 sites in question. Five police reserves that have been requisitioned form battalions further deployed at Dharmapur and Kasauli area. In addition, dog squads have also been deployed on the sites in question.’’
Sources said that Singh has a revolver with him which has three live cartridges and he is suspected to be hiding in the forest area. Police personnel along with dog squad are searching for the accused in the forests where Singh ran after killing Shail Bala. Chawla himself led the search team in the forest area but to could not find him.
Solan Deputy Commissioner Vinod Kumar has imposed the Section 144 of the CrPc in and around the hotel premises of Narayani guest house.
Singh who working as additional private secretary Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) and posted in Shimla was on leave for last three weeks. The guest house which was run by him was on the name of his mother, she said that she did not see him kill the officer and he did all what the officers had asked them to do.
"He was disturbed since many days. I didn't see nor do I know who killed her. We did everything what the authorities asked us to do,” she said.
Meanwhile, the demolition operations against thee unauthorized stories and portion of 13 hotels and resorts in Kasauli and Dharampur area that has come to halt after Tuesday’s shooting incident resumed in the afternoon on Wednesday and were halted fora brief time due to rain. But then again continued on the second day in accordance with apex court orders.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that Divisional Commissioner, Shimla will conductan inquiry into this incident including the circumstances that led to the incident and fixing of responsibility of the person responsible for this lapse. The enquiry report will be submitted to the government within 15 days.
He said an ex-gratia payment of rupees five lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased and the state government will also bear the expenses of treatment of all injured person. He said that the government will submit a status report on the incident tomorrow in the Supreme Court.