Ex-SHO accuses 52 protesters of violence in Kotkapura firing case

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, August 19

In a new twist to the Kotkapura police firing case of October 2015, the then SHO and one of the accused in the case, moved an application in the court of Judicial Magistrate Ist Class (JMIC) here today, urging the court to summon 52 protesters who had “caused injuries” to police officials and “destroyed public property”.

Gurdeep Singh Pandher, the then SHO (now under suspension), demanded the court to take cognisance, in view of overwhelming evidence of the offences committed by the accused.

He gave account of about 30 police officials who were injured at the hands of the protesters and also quoted cops’ statements to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which conducted a probe into the incident. Pandher claimed, during the investigation, he had recorded statements of witnesses and collected documentary evidence against the said 52 accused among the protesters.

The protesters named by Pandher include some ‘panthic’ and religious leaders, including a former jathedar of Takht Sri Damdma Sahib.

He claimed that footage of CCTV camera installed near the spot, which was in possession of the SIT, verified the involvement of the protesters in the crime.

During the violence, about 10 police personnel received serious injuries and about 32 police personnel received minor injuries and this fact was admitted by the present SIT in its report, he claimed. He further alleged that the SIT conducted investigation with “malice” and with the “design to exonerate” protesters, alleged Pandher in his application.

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