Proceedings resume in Kotkapura police firing case, Badal again in spotlight
After an eight-month hiatus, court proceedings in the Kotkapura police firing case of October 2015 resumed on Monday, placing former SAD (B) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and several senior police officers, including ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, under fresh scrutiny.
Faridkot Additional District and Sessions Judge Dinesh Kumar Wadhwa will deliberate on the framing of charges against the accused, marking a significant step forward in the case.
The Kotkapura police firing incident occurred on October 14, 2015, following sacrilege incidents at gurdwaras in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala villages in June and September 2015. The firing was allegedly used to disperse peaceful protesters, leaving many injured.
Investigations by a retired High Court judge and the Punjab Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) held former CM Parkash Singh Badal, then Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, and IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal and many others responsible for the excessive use of force.
In September 2023, the SIT filed a chargesheet naming Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal as accused, alleging they directed the police to use force to suppress the protests.
A similar firing incident had occurred at Behbal Kalan, two hours after the Kotkapura episode, where two protesters—Gurjit Singh and Krishan Bhagwan Singh—were killed, on October 14, 2015. The police accused in both cases largely overlap.
While both cases were pending in Faridkot courts, in July 2024, the Behbal Kalan case was transferred to Chandigarh following an order from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.