DRUG PEDDLERS KILL INFORMER

JALANDHAR: Informing the police about the activities of a gang of
smack (heroin) peddlers cost a young man his life. He was allegedly
killed by the gang's leader who was later apprehended and confessed to
the murder.

The victim, Vikas Tewari, a resident of the New Model House area, had
been reported missing on June 21 and his mother, Kamlesh, had told the
police she suspected a notorious drug peddler active in the locality,
Sandeep Johal, of being involved.

She said on the fateful day her son was called by Johal on some
pretext and he never returned home. When the cops rounded up Johal, he
confessed to having killed him, sources close to the police revealed.

Johal told the police Vikas had earlier given tip off to the police
about one of his accomplices who was then arrested by the cops and now
he apprehended that he could also land in jail if Tewari would work
against him as a police informer.

To take revenge for what he called the "damage caused to his group" by
Vikas' information to the police and fearing he would be caught, Johal
along with his other accomplices abducted Vikas and, after murdering
him, and threw his body in a rivulet near Bajuhan Khurda and Jugral
villages, said a police official said. The body was later recovered by
the police on the information provided by Johal.

Meanwhile, Kamlesh alleged Johal enjoyed "political patronage and his
political master even tried to help him out when he was rounded up by
the police and some people even got in touch with senior cops in
Johal's support".

She claimed some members of the gang were "pressurizing" her son to
join them but he instead chose to inform police about their
activities.Johal and his five accomplices have been booked for murder.