Key conspirator in architect’s murder arrested

LUDHIANA: Three days after a 32-year-old architect, Mandeep Bansal, was shot dead by armed motorcycle-borne ‘contract killers’ in Dugri Phase 1, police on Sunday evening arrested the main conspirator, Balwinder Singh, who had allegedly given a contract for killing Mandeep.Ludhiana police had on Friday claimed to have solved the murder case with the arrest of two contract killers —Gurwinder Singh (27) of Aman Nagar, and his accomplice Amanpal of New Aman Nagar — from the city in the morning hours. On the statement of Mandeep’s brother Surmeet, cops had already booked auto parts trader Balwinder Singh of New Aman Nagar on Thursday, who — according to them — was the main conspirator who wanted to get Mandeep eliminated for his alleged affair with his (Balwinder’s) wife.Station house officer (SHO) of Dugri police station, inspector Rajesh Thakur, said that on a tip-off, accused Balwinder was arrested from Gill Road on Sunday evening, while he was looking for a bus to escape from the city. He added that the accused had been roaming around in the city after Mandeep’s murder.