A man who once carried the identity of a fast bowler for Punjab's Ranji team, Satpal alias Sattu, was killed in an encounter with police in Muzaffarnagar. He ran into the Muzaffarnagar police in the Bamanheri forest of the Civil Line area, was hit by a bullet, and was admitted to a hospital where he later died. This is the same Satpal who was accused of attacking Yograj Singh, the father of former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh.
For the past 30 years, Satpal had been a byword for fear among ordinary people. His shadow was not limited to a single state, and he had spread terror from Chandigarh all the way to UP. Muzaffarnagar police had announced a reward of 25,000 rupees on him, and after he kidnapped a girl five days earlier, the police of four states were on his trail.
From the pitch to a life of crime
Satpal's journey began on the cricket field. In 1996, he played for Punjab's Ranji team as a fast bowler, turning out from Mohali. But when he failed to make the cut for county cricket, he walked away from the pitch and stepped into the world of crime.
His first case was registered in Chandigarh in 2001, when he was booked for rash driving in a public place. After that his criminal record only grew longer. His name surfaced in serious cases including robbery, murder, rape and extortion. In time he also linked up with the gang of Mumbai don Chhota Rajan and began running extortion rackets.
Hiding behind a changed identity
To stay ahead of the law, Satpal kept reinventing himself. After getting bail, he changed his identity altogether and began living in Ludhiana under the guise of a retired soldier. Muzaffarnagar SP City Amrit Jain told the media that Satpal had been killed in the encounter.
Attack on Yograj Singh and the murder of a taxi driver
Satpal was accused of attacking Yograj Singh, father of Team India cricketer Yuvraj Singh. In Ludhiana he had also murdered a taxi driver, Ravi Kumar. He is said to have found obscene photographs of his wife and Ravi Kumar on his phone. He later managed to escape from the hospital during treatment.
A try at politics too
Alongside crime, Satpal also tried his hand at politics. In 2007 he contested an election from Ramdarbar in Chandigarh on a BSP ticket. He had also attacked a mayor during a public meeting.
