Munish Sood
Kullu
In a sensational breakthrough, Kullu Police have solved the high-profile blind m*urder of Jal Shakti Department Junior Engineer Labh Singh Guleria (52) within four days, arresting four accused, including a lady doctor, her husband, father-in-law and brother-in-law, for their alleged role in the crime.
The investigation has revealed that the m*urder was allegedly driven by suspicion over an alleged extramarital relationship between the victim and the lady doctor. Police sources said the accused allegedly plotted the assault after suspecting that Guleria was frequently visiting the doctor’s residence.
According to investigators, Guleria, who was posted at the Jal Shakti Department’s Kullu Sub-Division office in Gandhi Nagar, was allegedly lured to the doctor’s house on July 24 on the pretext of inspecting a water pipeline. Once he arrived, he was allegedly confronted by the woman’s family over the suspected relationship and brutally assaulted inside the residence.
Police believe the injured engineer was later dumped near his office premises in an apparent attempt to pass off the incident as an unidentified roadside assault.
The breakthrough came after an intensive investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Chauhan. Investigators pieced together the sequence of events using call detail records, technical evidence and witness testimonies. The statement of a domestic helper employed at the doctor’s residence is also understood to have played a crucial role in unraveling the case, with her statement reportedly recorded before a magistrate.
The lady doctor is currently posted at the Regional Hospital in Kullu, while her husband serves as a doctor in Lahaul-Spiti. Police have reportedly conducted the medical examination of three of the accused.
The victim was found critically injured late on the night of July 24 after his family launched a search when he failed to return home. His scooter was first discovered near his office, following which he was located lying unconscious by the roadside. He was initially rushed to the Regional Hospital, Kullu, and later referred to AIIMS Bilaspur, where he succumbed to his injuries after two days of treatment.
The case had initially baffled investigators, prompting Kullu Police to constitute a dedicated SIT to crack what appeared to be a mysterious and motive-less attack. The swift investigation ultimately led police to the four accused, who were taken into custody on Wednesday evening.
The complaint was lodged by the victim’s wife, Kanta Devi, a resident of Khoula village in Kullu district, after her husband failed to return home on the night of the incident.
The accused are expected to be produced before a local court, while Kullu Police are likely to disclose further details of the investigation during an official press briefing on Thursday.
Police have yet to issue a formal statement on the arrests, and the allegations remain subject to judicial scrutiny as the investigation progresses.
