Drug-tainted cop crushed to death

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 26

A head constable, booked on the charge of stealing narcotics from a “malkhana” in Fazilka about three months ago, was crushed to death by a truck at Ladwa village in Kurukshetra district of Haryana last night.

While Surjit Singh Sharma’s family members claimed that he committed suicide, the Fazilka police said he died in a road mishap.

Family members of the cop, earlier posted as head clerk (munshi) at Arniwala police station in Fazilka, and others began a protest by placing the body on the Malout-Abohar national highway at Kabarwala village here. They demanded the registration of a case against Fazilka SSP Ketan Baliram Patil for “framing the victim and harassing his family”.

The deceased belonged to Sarawan Bodla village in Lambi. A case against him along with three others, including Sub-Inspector Major Singh, incharge, Centralised Malkhana, Fazilka, was registered on April 1 for allegedly stealing narcotics. Major was dismissed and arrested a few days ago.

Khushpreet Singh, the deceased’s son, said: “We will continue the protest till a case is registered against the SSP. He was harassing our family since the registration of the case. My father was arrested, but was bailed out after two days.”

“Four days ago, the CIA staff from Fazilka detained me, my mother Kamaldeep Kaur and my uncle. They released my mother yesterday, while we were released today morning. I was subjected to third-degree torture. My sister’s father-in-law was also detained illegally. Unable to cope with the pressure, my father committed suicide.”

The Fazilka SSP said: “The case was registered after an investigation. The deceased’s family is levelling false allegations. He (Surjit) died in a road accident in Haryana and the police there have registered a case.”

Around 9.30 pm, the protesters lifted the blocakde till tomorrow morning after Malout ASP Deepak Pareek arranged their meeting with Bathinda zone IG MS Chhina. Sushil Kumar, SSP, Muktsar, said, “The blockade was lifted after the IG told the protesters to list their demands in writing.”