Two days after former Mannewal sarpanch Navtej Singh Neetu was shot dead, police have booked the village’s sitting sarpanch Baljeet Singh in connection with the case, taking the total number of accused to eight. The victim’s family has alleged that Navtej had a property dispute with his cousin Wahegurupal Singh and that Baljeet, a close associate of Wahegurupal, had supported him in the dispute.

The case was registered on the complaint of Navtej’s son Alamjeet Singh.

Police said the FIR was registered on the basis of statements made by the victim’s family and the alleged roles of all the accused were being investigated.

Those named in the FIR include Wahegurupal Singh, his wife Jaspreet Kaur and their son Manjot Singh, all residents of Krishna Nagar; sitting Mannewal sarpanch Baljeet Singh; and Sukhpal Singh and his sons Bhupinder Singh and Tajinder Singh, all residents of Mannewal. Two other accused, suspected to be the shooters, remain unidentified.

“The case has been registered on the basis of the statements of the victim’s family. The alleged roles of all the accused are being investigated,” a police officer said.

Navtej was returning home in his Toyota Innova after visiting his land in Mannewal on tSaturday evening when two motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly opened fire at his vehicle near Punjab Agro Farm on the Ladhowal bypass.

According to police, around 10 shots were fired at the vehicle, seven of which struck Navte killing him on the spot.

The post-mortem examination revealed that Navtej had suffered seven bullet injuries, which damaged his chest and abdomen.

Police are investigating the roles of all those named in the FIR and working to identify the two shooters.