Gurdaspur youth cremated; kin say encounter stage-managed

The last rites of Ranjit Singh (19), who was killed in an alleged police encounter, were performed at Adhian village on Monday.

The family has alleged that Ranjit died during police interrogation and that the encounter was stage-managed.

Despite protests by social organisations urging the family not to cremate the body, the family decided late yesterday evening to go ahead with the cremation.

Differences had emerged within the “Ranjit Singh Jhoota Muqabla Joint Action Committee”, with some organisations expressing displeasure over the decision to conduct the last rites.

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Over 1,200 persons reportedly attended the cremation. Farm leaders and trade union activists were present in large numbers. The body was taken to the village cremation ground in a tractor-trailer.

Family members raised slogans against the state government for “not taking action against the erring police officials”. They also waved black flags while accompanying the body to the cremation ground.

The SDM of Dinanagar is conducting a magisterial inquiry into the sequence of events leading to the encounter. No timeframe has been given for submission of the report. Tarsem Singh, father of MP Amritpal Singh, said the inquiry should be taken to its logical conclusion. He was present at the cremation ground.

Also read: Dal Khalsa calls for protest over alleged encounter