Tapiala firing incident: SHO shifted to Police Lines

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 22

The Amritsar rural police have shifted the Lopoke police station SHO to the Police Lines following the firing incident which led to the killing of a Dalit Sikh while leaving others injured at Tapiala village a day earlier.

The incident was an outcome of a dispute over land possessed by around 95 Dalit families in the village. The family of one Sukhbir Kaur claimed that the disputed 22 kanal and 15 marla of land belonged to her and that she had won the case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, an organisation of farmers, today rebutted the claims of the accused while adding that the High Court had asked the government to find an alternate land besides ascertaining the actual legal heir of the property.

Rattan Singh Randhawa of the Sabha, while giving details during an interaction with the media, said the land actually belonged to Harnam Singh and Chanan Kaur. The couple did not have any child. The government acquired the land in 1974 from Chanan Kaur under the Indira Awas Yojna. Kaur was later murdered by one Narinder Singh who belonged to the family accused of involvement in Sunday’s firing at Tapiala village, said Randhawa.

In 1995, the accused allegedly got the property fraudulently transferred in their name. The villagers contested this with the district administration which again transferred the property in the government’s name. The then Deputy Commissioner, Commissioner and the Financial Commissioner ordered in favour of the victims, he added.

However, the accused family challenged the land transfer before the Director, Panchayat, which favoured the accused. When the same orders were not implemented, the accused filed a contempt petition in the High Court, Randhawa said. 

He said the matter about the legal heir is pending with the court and the district administration. The Deputy Commissioner marked a probe to the ADC Development to inquire into this. He alleged that it was due to the apathy and lethargy of the district administration that led to the incident. The farmers and the labour unions demanded compensation for the deceased and the victims.

Meanwhile, members of the Punjab SC Commission today visited the village and started investigations. They also met the family members of the deceased and assured support and suitable compensation to the victims. 

Parampal Singh, SSP, Amritsar Rural, confirmed that the Station House Officer (SHO) has been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty. He added that the government has announced Rs 7.50 lakh as compensation to the deceased’s family, Rs 50,000 for those who sustained bullet injuries and Rs 25,000 for those who had sustained minor injuries. He said compensation would also be given for the repair of houses demolished by the accused. 

The police have arrested seven persons in this connection while raids were on to nab the remaining accused who were on the run.