One killed; cops in spot over Jind ‘encounter’

Tribune News Service

Jind, August 27

An encounter involving two "robbers" on Wednesday night has come to haunt the Jind police. Family members of an accused "forcibly" took away the body from the Jind civil hospital as they clashed with policemen, who succeeded in getting the body back after several attempts. The family has refused to accept the body after the post-mortem and sat on a dharna, demanding compensation and action against the policemen involved in the "staged encounter" near Jind's Dalamwala village.

The police version has it that the two — Pawan Kumar and Sandip Kumar — had a criminal record and fired at them when a police patrol tried to stop them. "The accused, Pawan Kumar and Sandip Kumar, opened fire at a police team who tried to stop them. When Station House Officer Suraj Bhan fired in retaliation, Pawan died on the spot, while Sandip is undergoing treatment at the PGIMS in Rohtak," said Jind Superintendent of Police Abhishek Jorwal. "Sandip is facing at least 12 criminal cases, including attempt to murder and robbery. Pawan also has a criminal record. 

We will not spare any policeman if found guilty," the SP said. Pawan's family, however, accused the police of staging the encounter claiming that no criminal case was pending against him.

Relatives of Pawan, a resident of Bhidtana village in the district, with several villagers are on a dharna on the Jind-Gohana road near Lalit Khera village, refusing to take his body till a murder case was registered against the Alewa SHO and other cops. They also demanded Rs 25 lakh compensation for the family of the deceased and a government job for his widow Poonam.

"The police have murdered Pawan and now they are trying to show that the youths had fired at the police. It's a baseless story. We request the Chief Minister to act against all policemen involved," said Pawan's mother Bimla Devi after submitting an application to the Jind SDM.