SP’s kin fear senior cops ‘may stall’ relief, jobs

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, July 29

Insistence of the family of martyred SP (Detective) Baljit Singh on an assurance on jobs and compensation follows from the fear resulting from a previous tiff that Baljit had with some senior IPS officers he had opposed almost a decade back.

A close friend of the martyred SP claimed a section of the IPS officers in the state had even managed to delay the promotion of the brave and honest cop “for almost four years” despite the fact that his batch mates were promoted. “Many of those promoted ahead of him as SPs had pending chargesheets, while Baljit’s service record was impeccable”, he said.

A senior PPS officer, close to the deceased officer, said Baljit’s family felt the same lobby whom the martyred cop had opposed could make things difficult for their son. “I have known his family for years and the government should ensure that his family gets all compensation and a job appointment letter in next 30 days otherwise the fear of harassment within the department will haunt Baljit’s son”, he said.

Baljit’s rivalry within the department is related to a clash between people in Bhadaur and the police. In this clash on October 11, 2006 over the issue of demarcation of land between two gurudwaras took an ugly turn and one Ruban Masih had died in the incident while 100 persons were seriously injured. The then SSP Barnala, SK Asthana, had registered a case against 156 persons, including SAD MLA Balbeer Singh Gunus.

When the case went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, it ordered the Punjab police to enquire into the matter. The inquiry by then SP crime branch Ranjit Dhillon, Patiala, had pointed fingers at Asthana. Then Barnala DSP (D) Baljit Singh had blamed Asthana for the death of a man in police custody in August 2007.

Later a two-member committee of senior police officers probing the case had allegedly pressured Baljit to withdraw his statements against his own officers, but Baljit had refused and had claimed that “he would continue to say the truth”.

“Later DSP Baljit Singh allegedly received threats from some senior officers after his revelations and had complained to the PPS Officers’ Association. There was a rift among IPS and PPS officers due to reinvestigations into the custodial death of Ruben Masih following violence in Bhadaur in 2006”, said an officer close to Baljit.

“Therefore the government must ensure that the brave officer’s family is not harassed as there fears are justified to an extent”, he said. No senior Punjab police officer was available to comment on the matter. All efforts to contact principal secretary (Home) Jagpal Singh did not materialise.