Protesters cremate body, finally

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 13

Prem Singh of Mehma Bhagwana village, the youth who committed suicide and whose body had not been cremated by protesters, was on Monday cremated in the presence of the police after three days of his death.

Kin of the deceased staged a protest on Sunday afternoon by placing the body on the Bathinda-Muktsar road at Mehma Bhagwana village, demanding the arrest of the accused booked on the charge of abetment of suicide. They continued their protest till 1.30 am on Monday.

After DSP Gurjit Singh Romana reached the spot and gave assurance to the protesting villagers that the accused would be arrested soon, the protesters called off the strike.

The youth’s brother, Tarsem Singh, said on the assurance of the DSP, they had called off their protest and cremated the body.

Nihal Singhwala police post in-charge Harbans Singh Mann said accused Chingara Singh, Varkha Singh and Peetu Singh had been arrested and assured that the remaining accused would be arrested soon.

The body of Prem Singh was found hanging from a tree near a Kotbhai water channel. The Nehiawala police station had registered a case against seven villagers on the statement of the victim’s father.

After conducting post-mortem on Sunday, the police handed over the body to the family members.

In a complaint lodged with the police, the victim’s father has claimed that a week ago, a few persons of Burj Mehma village had come to drop Prem at night, during which their neighbours, due to their old rivalry, beat up Prem and others.

He alleged that instead of taking any action against their neighbours, the police beat up Prem Singh and others. Irked over this, Prem ended his life on Saturday.

Kin want accused held 

• Kin of the deceased staged a protest on Sunday afternoon by placing the body on the Bathinda-Muktsar road at Mehma Bhagwana village, demanding the arrest of the accused booked on the charge of abetment of suicide. They continued their protest till 1.30 am on Monday. 
• In a complaint lodged with the police, the victim’s father has claimed that a week ago, some persons from Burj Mehma village had come to drop Prem at night, during which their neighbours, due to their old rivalry, beat up Prem and others.
• He alleged that instead of taking any action against their neighbours, the police beat up Prem Singh and others. Irked over this, Prem ended his life on Saturday.