No headway in Kalayat murder case; complainant rues shoddy probe

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kalayat (Kaithal), February 19

Even after a year of Puran Singh’s murder during the Jat agitation last year, the police have failed to identity the accused.

Puran Singh(30) was a truck driver and had reached Kalayat on February 20 to take shelter at his relative’s house when he was killed by a violent mob.

Vinod Kumar, a relative of the deceased and complainant in the case, alleges shoddy police investigation into the case.

“Two witnesses said Puran was identified as a Rajput by a mob protesting in favour of the Jat quota and fatally thrashed . Witnesses identify three accused who belong to the neighbouring villages of Kalayat but police officials are ignoring their statements,” alleges Vinod, a resident of ward 5. He said that Puran parked his truck at a petrol pump and was heading towards his home when he was attacked.

“He was surrounded at the main road crossing of the town and attacked with sticks and sharp-edged weapons. A few local residents spotted his body lying near the cremation ground and informed me. I was not even aware that Puran was coming to take shelter in view of the ongoing violent agitation,” claims Vinod, a marginal farmer.

Sumer Partap Singh, SP, Kaithal, said efforts were being made to trace the accused. The SP said if the complainant has any evidence or witness to the crime, it would be duly recorded.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s brother, Krishan Kumar, was given a temporary job at the National Information Centre in Kaithal early this month. The grant of Rs 10 lakh has also been released by the government.

“This is gross injustice by the state government that it grants casual employment to victims of the violence and announces jobs to the families of alleged rioters and looters of last year’s agitation. We are fighting for justice whereas the authorities are negotiating with those demanding general amnesty for those who indulged in violence ,” said Vinod.

Local residents recall the days of violence and arson in the town. “More than 25 shops of non-Jats were set on fire by a mob. Several motorcycles were torched . There was complete chaos on roads when members from both communities clashed,” said a local resident.

Meanwhile, victims of last year’s violence in Kaithal town recall that scores of shops on Karnal road were gutted and looted. The state government distributed compensation of about Rs 1.14 crore among the victims.

A cross-section of the violence-hit shopkeepers contacted by The Tribune refused to speak about the incident. Showing satisfaction on getting due compensation, they refused any comment on the violence. “All of us are able to get back to business. It was a nightmare and we want to forget it,” said some of them.

Sources said 87 cases of arson, rioting, obstructing traffic on highways and railway tracks were registered in the district during the agitation last year.

Sources said a statue of eminent Jat leader Sir Chhotu Ram was damaged in the city and even the presence of the Army and the police failed to control the violent situation for nearly five days.

(With inputs from Satish Seth in Kaithal)