Police to blame for SP’s death: Pargat

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 8

Reacting strongly to the suicide of SP- rank officer- cum- Arjuna Awardee Narinder Singh, the SAD MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment and former Sports Director, Pargat Singh flayed the police department for failing to stand by an officer who brought name and fame for the nation at national and international sports events.

“It is the failure of the department that cost the life of an acclaimed sportsperson. Despite being on suspension for over two years, no senior officer considered his plea for reinstatement. When Narinder failed in his attempts, he opted to end his life. It is shameful,” Pargat told TNS during a condolence meeting with the family of the deceased.

Pargat said he would strongly put up his resentment before Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal and would seek action against the erring officials responsible for delaying the SP’s reinstatement.

“Narinder was a dedicated sportsman. He accompanied me in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and brought laurels for the nation. Even his wife Sunith Thakur is an Olympian. How could the department ignore his family? Had he shared his depression with me, I would not have let him to commit suicide?” Pargat informed.

The MLA went on to say that in many cases, it was seen that cops facing murder charges or other heinous crimes were reinstated by the department, but in the Olympian’s case, it is painful that the department kept him shuttling from one office to another, he added.

A senior police official said if any cop was facing criminal charges, the police department often reinstated him after six months of the suspension.