Youth killed, body dismembered

Varinder Singh & Bharat Khanna

Tribune News Service

Gharanghna (Mansa), Oct 11

Sukhchain Singh, a 21-year-old Dalit of Gharanghna village, was waylaid, pulled out of his SUV and killed last evening, after which his limbs were chopped off.

The gruesome murder  by persons “owing allegiance” to the ruling SAD and “with links to” Niranjan Singh, driver of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, has created tension between the village Dalits and the land-owning community.

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The family of the deceased, with police assistance, is trying to find a missing leg. It has refused to cremate the body, kept in the mortuary of the Civil Hospital, until then. “How can we cremate it without a leg?”  asks Sukhchain’s wailing mother Karamjit Kaur. 

She wants the immediate arrest of Balbir Singh alias Kala, Hardip Singh alias Kala, Bitta Singh, Sadhu Singh — all from Gharanghna village, Bittu Singh of Chhote Nangal, Sita Singh of Makha village (they have been booked) and their 20 accomplices.

Hardip and his brother Bitta are nephews of Gharanghna sarpanch Sardool Singh, who is the son of the CM’s driver, say sources.

Sukhchain and his friends, one of them Gursewak Singh, were reportedly waylaid while on their way home in a Bolero. “Sukhchain was kidnapped by Balbir and 24 armed accomplices. As his friends fled, he was pulled out, taken to a secluded place and attacked with sharp-edged weapons.

An iron rod was pierced into his chest. When we learnt about the incident at about 8.30 pm, we called up the police on 100 and other numbers. The police, showing no urgency, arrived more than an hour later,” alleged Sukhbir Singh, the deceased’s brother.

He said the grass at the crime site was smeared with blood but there was nobody there. The Bolero was smashed. “As we arrived at the rear end of a street, we found a knee-cap and some pieces of human flesh. Later, the police found the blood-soaked body at Balbir’s residence where my brother was apparently subjected to inhuman torture.

“The arms were twisted. The left leg was missing and the bones broken,” said Sukhbir, fighting back tears. He claimed Balbir bore a grudge against his brother. “Sukhchain quit the illicit liquor business about three months ago after he was booked and thrashed by the police. Balbir and others were his competitors,” he claimed. His mother said Balbir had warned her son to stay away from Gursewak.

When contacted, the Gharanghna village sarpanch said Hardip, one of the accused, was a relative with whom he had no ties since 1991. “Hardip and Gursewak were once friends. They later turned leaders of rival gangs,” he said. The Mansa SP (D), Narinderpal Singh, said the six persons booked for the murder would be arrested soon. 

Dr Nancy Bansal of the Mansa Civil Hospital said Sukhchain’s body bore several injury marks.