Police await forensic reports on Jakhar’s death

ABOHAR - Mystery shrouds the death of Surinder Jakhar, chairman of fertiliser major IFFCO and son of former Lok Sabha speaker Balram Jakhar, as police await forensic reports to confirm that he accidentally shot himself with his own gun in Punjab earlier this week, an official said Wednesday.

Jakhar died of bullet injuries Monday. Soon after the incident, police said he seemed to have shot himself accidentally while cleaning his firearm at his farmhouse here in Maujgarh village in Firozepur district.

A .32 pistol, believed to be his licensed firearm, and an empty shell were found at the spot where Jhakar fell with bullet injuries.

We have sent the pistol and the shell for forensic test. From the preliminary investigation, it seemed that it was an accident but we are looking into various angles. We would also check whether the bullet was fired from the same pistol or not, Surjeet Singh, superintendent of police (headquarters) of Firozepur, told IANS Wednesday.

It is too early to conclude anything, he said.

None of the family members has filed a complaint with police but sources in police said they were suspicious that it might have been a case of suicide.

IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited) is a state-run fertiliser major.

Surinder Jakhar’s younger brother Sunil is a Congress legislator in Punjab.

Surinder was cremated here, around 350 km from the state capital Chandigarh, Tuesday. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his Rajasthan counterpart Ashok Gehlot were among those who attended the cremation.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal visited Jakhars house here Tuesday to offer condolences.