Body on road, kin want 2 more in list of accused

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bhagta (Bathinda), July 21

Demanding inclusion of two more names in the list of the accused and arrest of all five, family members of Harbans Singh, today refused to conduct his last rites and instead placed his body in an air-conditioned glass casket at the Bhagta Bhai Ka Chowk and blocked the road. Harbans was found dead near a petrol pump on Bajakhana-Barnala road late Sunday night.

After making a public announcement about their protest at the gurdwara, the family began its indefinite protest at the Bhagta Bhai Ka Chowk and they were joined by members of several farmers’ unions.

The protest also took on a political colour after the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president and former MLA Gurpeet Singh Kangar and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Rajwinder Singh reached the protest site and extended their parties’ support to the protest.

A 12-member committee had been constituted by the protestors to engage in talks with the administration being represented by SP (City) Desraj and SDM Rampura Narinder Dhaliwal. Till late evening, the meeting was on with the administration trying to reach a compromise and convince the family members to conduct the last rites of the body.

Earlier on Monday, the deceased’s wife Manjit Kaur has accused SAD district general secretary Amninder Singh, vice-president of the Nagar Council Kotha Guru, Jagsir Singh and a resident of Hamirgarh Jasvir Singh, alias Laddi Singh, of murdering her husband over a land dispute.

On the basis of her report, a case was registered against the trio and the body was handed over to the family after conducting a post-mortem. While Jasvir was arrested, the other two are absconding. The family is now demanding inclusion of two more names, that of son of Jagsir Singh and teacher Jatinder Bhalla, known for his SAD links.

THE DISPUTE

Harbans Singh’s physically handicapped brother Sukhmander Singh had died a few months ago. Following his death, his physically handicapped wife, who had been living separately after being granted divorce by the panchayat, laid claim on a part of Sukhmander’s land. She also allegedly got the registry of the land done in the name of the SAD leader Jagsir Singh. Harbans filed a case in the court to get the land back and was to appear for a hearing on Monday but was found dead on Sunday night.