Kotkapura, Behbal Kalan firing cases: Punjab Police submits sealed status reports in Chandigarh court

The Punjab Police has submitted status reports through the public prosecutor in sealed covers regarding the pending investigations in the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases before a Chandigarh court.

The trials in the sacrilege-related cases linked to the Kotkapura firing and damage to property were transferred to the Sessions Court, Chandigarh, in April 2026 on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The Kotkapura firing incident took place on October 14, 2015, in the aftermath of sacrilege incidents reported at gurdwaras in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages in June and September 2015. Police allegedly opened fire on protesters demonstrating against the sacrilege incidents. While the simultaneous firing at Behbal Kalan resulted in two deaths, the Kotkapura incident left several people injured.

Several senior police officers, including former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, Paramraj Singh Umranangal, Charanjit Singh Sharma, Amar Singh Chahal and Sukhminder Singh Mann, are among the accused in the case. Former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal is also an accused in the Kotkapura firing case.

During the previous hearing on July 18, the court had directed the prosecution to submit status reports on the pending investigations at the next date of hearing.

Pursuant to those directions, the prosecution submitted status reports on August 1, 2026, regarding the pending investigations in the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases. The court noted that sealed-cover envelopes containing the status reports had been submitted.

The Additional Public Prosecutor for the state requested that, considering the circumstances and nature of the case, the reports be retained in sealed cover after being perused by the court. The court observed that the reports had been opened and examined and ordered that they be retained in sealed covers and kept in safe custody.