Make 1986 Nakodar encounter report public: Victims' kin

Tribune News Service

Amristar, February 4

Members of families of four persons, who were killed during a police encounter at Nakodar on February 4, 1986, today demanded the report of the Justice Gurnam Singh Commission on the incident be made public.

During a religious programme held to commemorate the 37th anniversary of the Saka Nakodar at Gurdwara Baba Gurbaksh Singh Shahid, situated at the Golden Temple complex here, on Saturday, Baldev Singh, father of Ravinder Singh, said they had been running from pillar to post to seek justice, but to no avail since the encounter had taken place during the tenure of the then Surjit Singh Barnala government.

Three other persons killed in the encounter were Charmal Singh, Harminder Singh and Baldhir Singh, all of them were office-bearers of the All India Sikh Students Federation.

He claimed that they were carrying out a peaceful march against the sacrilege of five ‘saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib when the incident occurred.

The incident has similarities with the 2015 Bargari sacrilege, where two protesters were killed in the police firing at Behbal Kalan in Faridkot .

He said at present, the case was pending in the High Court and the next date of hearing was March 30. He said the Justice Gurnam Singh Commission report was submitted to the state government on October 31, 1986. However, neither the report was discussed in the Assembly, nor a mandated action taken report was submitted.

The religious programme was organised by the NRI family of Ravinder Singh. Among others, Kanwar Pal Singh, Sarbjit Singh Ghuman, Baljinder Singh Bajwa, Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra attended the programme.