A Nihang was arrested on Sunday for allegedly stabbing a relative to death and injuring four others using his kirpan at Suraj Nagar, Tedi Road, Shimlapuri, officials said.

It was stated that 50-year-old Nirmal Singh was killed in the attack resulting from an old rivalry.

According to police, the accused, Jatinder Singh of Sangowal, fled after the incident but was caught later. Police said the victim was a carpenter.

According to the police, the condition of one of the victims, Manjit Singh, was stated to be serious, while the condition of the other three (Vijay, Vishwajit and Balraj Singh) was stable.

Police said Nirmal Singh and other victims tried to intervene after the accused attacked his brother Manjit Singh with a kirpan.

Shimlapuri station house officer (SHO) inspector Balwinder Singh said that the accused and the victim were relatives and lived in the same neighbourhood. The SHO added that they accused each other of ‘mistreating and urinating on their main door’.

He said the accused and the victim had a fight in 2023 over an issue, following which Nirmal Singh and Manjit Singh filed a complaint and a first information report (FIR) was registered against Jatinder Singh.

Later, Jatinder and his family sold the house and moved to Sangowal village. Around six months ago, Jatinder was identified as Nihang, police said, adding that the accused had visited Suraj Nagar to see other relatives in the area.

The SHO added that Jatinder appeared in Suraj Nagar on Sunday and attacked Manjit. He added that other victims tried to intervene, then the defendant attacked them too.

He said Manjit and Nirmal were seriously injured and were taken to hospital, where doctors declared Nirmal dead on arrival.

According to the inspector, a murder case was opened against the defendant. Police are interrogating the accused to find out what provoked him to attack the victims, he added.