SHO sent to Lines after protest

LUDHIANA: Following a protest by the kin of a Dalit girl (23) of Sangowal village, who had committed suicide by hanging herself yesterday after allegedly being molested by two persons of upper caste of the same village, the police sent an SHO to the Police Lines and assured the protesters that the third accused in the case would be arrested at the earliest.

Grieving father of the deceased girl during a protest at the DC office in Ludhiana on Saturday. Tribune photo: Himanshu mahajan

Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, February 23

Following a protest by the kin of a Dalit girl (23) of Sangowal village, who had committed suicide by hanging herself yesterday after allegedly being molested by two persons of upper caste of the same village, the police sent an SHO to the Police Lines and assured the protesters that the third accused in the case would be arrested at the earliest.

After the girl’s post-mortem today, her kin and villagers brought the body to the Mini-Secretariat and had kept it outside the Deputy Commissioner office for nearly three hours. They were demanding action against the third accused in the case. They also demanded action against SHO Prem Singh for allegedly abusing and misbehaving with them when autopsy was being done at Civil Hospital, Ludhiana.

The protesters accused the SHO of allegedly trying to take the body from them as they had planned to stage a protest at Bharat Nagar Chowk.

On Friday, the girl was found hanging from a ceiling fan. Her kin said she was ‘depressed’ after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by two persons belonging to an upper cast.

The police had registered an FIR against Jagdeep Singh and Gurjit Singh under Section 306, 354, 506 and 34 of the IPC and other sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at the Dehlon station and arrested two accused.

On a statement of the family, the police today added the name of Bikkar Singh in the FIR for allegedly shielding both accused. The family accused Bikkar of pressuring the girl to reach a compromise with the accused after she was allegedly molested by the two on February 19.

Former MLA Tarsem Jodhan said the girl used to work as domestic help at Bikkar’s house. “The girl belonged to a very poor family. Her cremation will take place on Sunday. The police should take action against the accused. We have also demanded compensation to the family.”

The protesters called off their agitation after the police assured the family that their demands had been met. ADCP Jaskaran Singh Teja told them that they had sent SHO Prem Singh to the Police Lines. He said they would arrest the third accused at the earliest.