38th anniversary of Saka Nakodar: Victim’s father writes to CM

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 29

Ahead of the 38th anniversary of the alleged killing of four Sikh youths in Nakodar in police firing, father of a victim, Ravinder Singh Littran, has written to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann seeking urgent action.

The case

Ravinder Singh and three others - Harminder Singh, Baldhir Singh and Jhilman Singh - were killed on February 4, 1986 while they were protesting over the burning of ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib at a gurdwara in Nakodar.

Seeks justice

Relentlessly trying to seek justice, Baldev Singh has written: “I write to you with a heart weighed down by the agony of an enduring struggle. I find myself compelled to reach out once again, seeking your intervention for the sake of truth and closure. The letters dated September 25, 2022, January 8, 2023, February 24, 2023, and December 10, 2023 have meticulously detailed the harrowing experiences and the unwavering fight for truth and accountability”.

Ravinder Singh and three others - Harminder Singh, Baldhir Singh and Jhilman Singh – were killed on February 4, 1986 while they were protesting over the burning of ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib at a gurdwara in Nakodar.

Ravinder’s father Baldev Singh has written to the Punjab CM for the fifth time citing all details of the case. Parents of three other youths have passed away since the episode.

Relentlessly trying to seek justice, Baldev Singh has written: “I write to you with a heart weighed down by the agony of an enduring struggle. I find myself compelled to reach out once again, seeking your intervention for the sake of truth and closure. The letters dated September 25, 2022, January 8, 2023, February 24, 2023, and December 10, 2023 have meticulously detailed the harrowing experiences and the unwavering fight for truth and accountability. The correspondence sent to your office has laid bare the four extrajudicial killings, exposing the shocking absence of accountability for these grave violations of human rights. I implore you to lend this matter the urgency and gravity it warrants. Immediately initiate a high-level independent inquiry into the Saka Nakodar incident of 1986, ensuring transparency, integrity, and swiftness in the investigation process”.

It further reads: “Form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the disappearance of Part II of Justice Gurnam Singh Commission’s inquiry report and expedite the investigation into the perpetrators of the atrocity. Table and discuss the Justice Gurnam Singh Commission of inquiry report, along with the action taken report, in the Punjab State Assembly, making the findings public to ensure accountability. Take proactive measures to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated in Punjab, reaffirming the commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law.”

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