Sikh bodies blocks NH at Behbal Kalan, slams govt on delay in sacrilege probe

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 15

Members of various Sikh organisations, along with the family of one of the victims of the Behbal Kalan police firing incident of October 2015, on Thursday blocked the Bathinda-Amritsar national highway protesting against the slow investigation in the sacrilege and firing cases.

One year ago, Sukhraj Singh, son of Krishan Bhagwan, one of the victims, had started a ‘Beadbi Insaaf Morcha’ (Sacrilege Justice Morcha) at the site of the police firing.

Protesters at this place convened a state-level meeting today. Various Sikh religious-cum-political leaders participated in it and accused the government of not completing the investigations for their political benefits.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira of the Congress was the only mainstream political leader who participated in the dharna. He alleged that the multiple investigations in the incidents during the last seven years had weakened the cases and the accused were getting relief from the courts due to the tardy investigations.

He accused SAD, the Congress and AAP governments of delaying the investigations.

After about two hours of the meeting, the protesters gave a call to block the national highway indefinitely. Sukhraj said they were forced by the state government to take this step. The government had not honoured its words, he alleged.

Earlier on April 5, the protesters had blocked the highway, allowing only emergency vehicles and farmers going to mandis for procurement. However, the blockage was lifted after talks with a state government delegation, led by senior lawyers, which had promised to bring these cases to a logical conclusion.

Raj Pal Sandhu, SSP, Faridkot, said he was trying to pacify the protesters as in the winter, it was not good for their health.

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