Well-known television actor Bhupinder Singh was booked for murder on December 6, three days after he shot dead a man and injured three others when they protested against him for cutting trees which he intended to use for fencing his Bijnor farm. His three accomplices — Gyan Singh, Jivan Singh and Gurjant Singh — who were armed with lathis during the incident of cutting of trees, were also arrested. All of them face charges under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (provocation) and 34 (criminal act by several persons) of the IPC. Three policemen were suspended for dereliction of duty.
Fifty-four-year-old Bhupinder Singh, who has acted in popular TV serials like Ek Haseena Thi, Yeh Pyaar Na Hoga Kam, Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, Rishton Ka Chakravyuh and Tere Sheher Mein, opened indiscriminate fire with his licensed gun on his neighbours on December 3, killing Govind Singh (23) on the spot. The father, mother and elder brother of Bhupinder Singh’s neighbour were also seriously injured. The father, Gurdeep Singh, and brother, Amreek Singh, are critical. Govind’s sister hid in the fields nearby and, therefore, escaped.
The violence erupted on December 3 at Bhupinder’s house at Kuankheda, Bijnor. The actor had recently returned to his native village where he owns more than 500 bights of agricultural land. The dispute dates back to October 17 when police were informed that Bhupinder Singh was installing a fence on his farm, for which he would be cutting down a few eucalyptus trees along the boundary of the two houses. Gurdeep Singh’s family had opposed this.
Bijnor SP Neeraj Kumar Jadaun said that he had issued a task order a few days back to resolve the issue amicably but the local police did not take the row seriously. The deceased’s mother told Jadaun that despite seeking help from the police on the day of the incident, their pleas went unanswered. The SP suspended three officers for dereliction of duty and called for a report within seven days.