Will gherao police station, threaten kin

Hoshiarpur, October 28

The secretary of the Nainowal Jattan Cooperative Society, Harbhajan Singh, had died by suicide five months ago. Following his death, the Bullowal police had booked five persons for abetment to suicide.

Today, family members of the deceased held a press conference at the Press Club here. During the conference, the kin rued that five months on, the cops are yet to arrest four of the suspects in the case. In an attempt to mount pressure on the police, the kin today threatened to gherao the Bullowal police station, if they fail to arrest the suspects within a week. They added that they would even mobilise local residents, farmers and employee unions if the cops do not accede to their demand.

“We will besiege the police station, and the district administration and the police would be responsible for that,” warned an irate family member.

During the conference, Baljinder Kaur, the wife of the deceased, and her two sons Ranveer Singh and Jasveer Singh, recalled how Harbhajan had consumed poison on June 6. They alleged that Harbhajan had taken the extreme step owing to harassment from the suspects.

Based on a suicide note left behind by the deceased, the Bullowal police had registered an FIR against Rajinder Singh, Ravinder Singh Rana, Dalveer Singh, Jarnail Singh and Balwinder Singh Khanpur under Section 306 of the IPC. They alleged that even though Ravinder Singh had been arrested by the police, the other suspects have got off scot-free.

One of the family members said, “The bail of the accused had been rejected by the Hoshiarpur Sessions Court and the High Court. And yet, the police are reluctant to arrest them.” The kin added that they had also reached out to Hoshiarpur SSP Sartaj Singh Chahal, DSP (Rural) Surinderpal Singh and Bulhowal SHO Jasvir Singh Brar in this regard, but to no avail.

One of the family members claimed, “Each time we met with the SHO, we were told that an arrest could not be made for want of an order.”

The kin have also written to Chief Minister Punjab and the Punjab DGP, calling for action against the accused.

When contacted for a comment, Bulhowal SHO Jasvir Singh Brar said, “The DSP (Rural) has been investigating the matter. The investigation would be completed in a few more days. Further action will be taken based on that.”