Ludhiana Horror: Man Killed in Daba House Attack, Severed Hand Handed to Shopkeeper; Main Accused Heldਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ ਡਾਬਾ ਕਤਲ: ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੜ ਕੇ ਹਮਲਾ, ਹੱਥ ਵੱਢ ਕੇ ਦੁਕਾਨਦਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਸੌਂਪਿਆ, ਮੁੱਖ ਮੁਲਜ਼ਮ ਕਾਬੂ

A man was hacked to death inside a house in Ludhiana's Daba area on Saturday in an attack so brazen that the killers severed his hand, put it in a polythene bag and handed it to a grocery shop owner nearby with instructions to deliver it to the victim's family.

The victim, Shakti Singh, also known as Bhura, was rushed to hospital after the attack but died during treatment, police said. The house owner, an acquaintance of Singh who tried to intervene, was also assaulted.

What happened in the Daba house?

According to police, five to six armed assailants barged into the house near the Redu Sahib gurdwara in the Daba area and attacked Singh with swords and other sharp-edged weapons. During the attack they cut off one of his hands. Before fleeing, they placed the severed hand in a white polythene bag and gave it to a grocery store owner in the neighbourhood, telling him to deliver it to Singh's family.

Additional Commissioner of Police Roop Deep Kaur said police have arrested the main accused, identified as Gurmit Singh. In an official video update, Ludhiana Commissionerate Police said questioning of the arrested man was under way and the remaining attackers would be arrested soon.

Was it a fallout of an old feud?

Daba Station House Officer Jatinder Kumar said Singh had been booked in 12 criminal cases in the past, and the murder could be the fallout of a long-standing feud. That history, police indicated, is a central line of the investigation, as officers work out who else was in the attacking group and where they went after the killing.

Police teams are scanning CCTV camera footage from the area to identify and trace the remaining attackers. Officers said the arrested accused is being questioned about the others and about the dispute that led to the attack.

Why has the killing shocked the city?

Daylight and doorstep attacks have repeatedly shaken Ludhiana in recent weeks, but the detail of the severed hand being carried to a shopkeeper in a bag has made this killing stand out even in a grim season. The attack inside a home, in a residential locality, has again raised questions residents ask after every such killing: how a feud was allowed to build until it ended in a planned group attack.

Police have appealed to anyone with footage or information about the attackers to come forward. The investigation is continuing, and more arrests are expected.

Who was killed in the Ludhiana Daba attack?

The victim was Shakti Singh, also known as Bhura. Police said he had faced 12 criminal cases in the past and died during treatment after the attack.

Who has been arrested so far?

ACP Roop Deep Kaur said the main accused, Gurmit Singh, has been arrested. Police say the other attackers, five to six in total, are being traced through CCTV footage.

What do police say was the motive?

SHO Jatinder Kumar said the killing could be the fallout of a long-standing feud. Police say the exact motive will be confirmed as questioning and arrests proceed.