FIR in Kotkapura firing names none

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16

The state government claims that action has been taken against police officials for allegedly opening fire at a mob protesting sacrilege incidents in Kotkapura. But the FIR registered last week in connection with the 2015 incident still stands against “unidentified” police officials.

This FIR was registered on August 7, almost three years after the incident that left many injured, including a gunshot injury to Ajit Singh of Kotakpura.

A government spokesperson said further action in the Kotkapura firing case was being taken. But inquiries have brought out that the Faridkot police have merely “added” the commission’s report to the case diary (zimni) of the FIR for perusal of the CBI, which has been handed over the investigation.

It was reported in vernacular media that senior police officials, including a retired DGP, was named as accused in the FIR. The inclusion of the name of the DGP and other officials is a hot political matter.

The state government on Thursday announced convening a special Vidhan Sabha to table the Justice Ranjit Sigh Commission report and action taken on it.

Not only the Opposition is breathing down the neck of the government demanding action against police officials nominated in the FIR, a group of Panthic organisations sitting on a dharna in Fardikot are also demanding action against police officials who had allegedly fired or ordered firing at protesters.

Faridkot SSP Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu confirmed that no names had been added to the FIR. “The CBI, which is investigating the matter, will add names, if any,” he said.

Police sources say that it may take time for the names of police officials to be added to the FIR. First, the bullet that injured Ajit Singh would have to be identified, said police officials. Later, forensic analysis has to confirm whether or not the bullet was fired from a weapon registered with the state police. The name of officers who allegedly ordered firing would come up in the last stages.