Relief for Punjabi youths on death row in Dubai

Manish Sirhindi

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 31

The 10 Punjabi youths, who are on death row in Dubai for having killed a Pakistani national during a feud last year, might escape the gallows. The victim’s family has agreed to accept blood money.

The Al Ain court in Dubai had on October 26, 2016 convicted 10 Punjabi youths for killing Mohammad Faran of Peshawar on July 5, 2015, following a quarrel over bootlegging.

Initially, 11 Punjabi youths were charged. Out of them, 10 were convicted for murder. They were Satminder Singh of Barnala, Chander Shekhar of Nawasher, Chamkaur Singh of Malerkotla, Kulwinder Singh, Balwinder Kumar and Dharamvir Singh of Ludhiana, Harjinder Singh of Mohali, Tarsem Singh of Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh of Patiala and Jagjit Singh of Gurdaspur.

On December 28 last year, the court allowed a petition moved by SPS Oberoi, chairman of NGO Sarbat Da Bhala Trust, to save the lives of the youths by paying blood money that is allowed under Islamic law.

Oberoi said that they have offered 2 lakh dirhams, but the victim’s family, comprising his parents and two brothers, was asking for more. “We are in talks with them. The matter will be sorted out soon.”

The Dubai court has suspended the death sentence on the assurance that an agreement would be reached soon, maintaining that a final decision would only be pronounced after securing the consent of Mohammad Faran’s family.

Efforts on in another case

The NGO has also stepped up efforts to save the lives of 12 more youths, who are facing trial for the murder of two Punjabi youths in Sharjah following a clash over bootlegging.

These include Tony Masih, Hardip Singh, Navneet Kumar, Rohit and Happy of Gurdaspur, Harpreet Singh and Ajay Kumar of Nawasher, Gian Chand of Hoshiarpur, Kulwinder Singh and Buta Singh of Kapurthala, Daljit Singh of Kurukshetra and Paramjit Singh Jalandhar.

They had killed Gupreet Singh of Gurdaspur and Asif Ali of Kapurthala last year. Oberoi said that the family of Gupreet Singh had agreed to accept blood money. Now, they are trying to convince Asif’s family about it.