A young dreaded gangster Davinder Bambiha, who was shot dead in an encounter in Rampur Phool town by the Bathinda police, had never returned to his village Bambiha Bhai here in Baghapurana constituency, about 40 km from the district after he was booked in a murder case in 2010.
Bambiha’s mother Paramjeet Kaur has been living alone after his father Iqbal Singh died of cardiac arrest and his two sisters Rupinder Kaur and Pushpinder Kaur are married.
As per the information, in October 2010, Bambiha had accompanied his friend to solve the problem of his friend’s girlfriend. But his friend had opened fired on the rival resulting into his death.
Along with his friend, the police had also booked him on the charges of murder. Villagers said that after that incident, he had indulged into the criminal activities and his mother had disowned him after his name started coming amongst the gangsters.
It had became a challenge for the Punjab police to nab Bambiha, who was reportedly facing over 15 cases including six of murder and others include attempt to murder and dacoity.
Bambiha, also known as sharpshooter, was also wanted for killing student leader-turned-sarpanch Rajwinder Singh alias Ravi Khwajke. He gunned down Khwajke on February 20 at a marriage function, pumping 14 bullets into his body.
A relative of Bambiha seeking anonymity said that Bambiha was bright in studies.
“He was in BA 1st year when his name came into a murder case and since then, he didn’t return to the village,” he said.
Kuldeep Singh, member block panchayat and neighbour of Bambiha said that he along with panchayat members were going to Bathinda to get Bambiha’s body.
Meanwhile, the cremation is expected to take place in Bambiha village on Saturday.
Third encounter in past four months
Bathinda district seems to have turned into hot bed for encounters as Davinder Bambiha’s was third such encounter taken place in its jurisdiction in past four months.
May 27: In a joint operation by Bathinda-Faridkot police, Ajmer Singh (24), an alleged liquor smuggler, was gunned down in an encounter on the border of both districts on Jeeda-Dabrikhana road, here. He was shot in the chest by police personnel after the police alleged that the car-borne two youth opened first opened fire at police party led by Jaitu SHO Lachhman Singh. The police had seized a 0.12-bore rifle and bullet from his possesa sion. Meanwhile, Ajmer’s family alleged that the police took Ajmer for gangster Devinder Bambiha, while police refuted such allegations.
June 2: The special team of Haryana police in assistance with Bathinda police killed wanted gangster Ajay Kumar alias Kannu at Jagaram Tirath village in Bathinda district on June 2. Haryana based gangster Kannu, a resident of Karawari village in Sonepat district, was evading arrest in a double murder case of army officer major Sushil Chikkara’s father Jagbir Singh, 57, and brother Anil Chhikara, 25, on May 12, as they hadn’t voted for him in panchayat elections. More than dozen of gun shots were exchanged between police and Kannu in a 30-minute-long operation, before two of the bullets pierced into Kannu’s stomach. Kannu along with his three accomplices had taken shelter in a temporary makeshift owned by Bhola Singh, a notorious person, whom Kannu met in Bhiwani jail years ago.
Other wanted gangsters
Gurbaksh Sewewala: He is close associate of Davinder Bambiha and was co-accused in many of the criminal activities carried by Bambiha in past four years. After Bambiha’s encounter, he is the front runner to take over Bambiha gang. Presently, he is fugitive and declared proclaimed offender by the police in many cases.
Jaipal Singh: Jaipal Singh is a son of former assistant sub-inspector in Punjab police and on the radar of Punjab police following murder of gangster-politician Jaswinder Singh ‘Rocky’ on May 1. He is wanted by the state police of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in more than 40 criminal cases.
