‘Deliberate act’: SGPC demands judicial probe into UP encounter

The SGPC executive on Tuesday demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of three Punjab youths in a police encounter in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

On December 23, a joint team of the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh police killed three suspected terrorists, who were allegedly involved in a grenade attack on a police post in Gurdaspur, in an encounter in Pilibhit's Puranpur.

During a meeting of the executive, which was held under the chairmanship of SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, a resolution, raising serious questions over the police encounter, was passed. "This is a very serious matter and it seems like a deliberate act to target Punjab's youths," the resolution read, which also termed the encounter a serious violation of the human rights.

The SGPC also passed a resolution rejecting the demand for excommunicating former terrorist Narain Singh Chaura from the Panth. Chaura recently tried to assassinate SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal outside the GoldenTemple.

The Sikh body also extended the duration of the panel probing charges against Giani Harpreet Singh, the suspended Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib, by a month.

The probe panel was formed in the previous executive meeting held on December 19 to probe allegations against the jathedar. Resolving to hold an impartial probe against the jathedar, the executive reasoned that the decision was taken on account of the proposed elections to the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.

The executive condoled the demise of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh by reciting "mool mantar" and passing a resolution, highlighting the veteran leader's contribution to the country's growth and hailing his statesmanship.