Suicide victim woman teacher's relatives seek legal action against Punjab Education Minister

Tribune News Service

Ropar, October 24

The problems of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains over suicide by an assistant professor do not seem to end as relatives of the deceased have now demanded legal action against him in the case.

Govt haughtiness led to suicide: Sunil Jakhar

• State BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday blamed the government’s “haughtiness” for the death of Balwinder Kaur
• He said the deceased’s husband and father-in-law had been booked for abetment to suicide without any proof

Hardev Singh, a brother of deceased Balwinder Kaur, in his new statement recorded with Ropar police last night stated that he wanted appropriate action against the minister as his sister in her suicide note had said ‘he forced her to end her life’. Earlier, on October 21 he had blamed the in-laws of Balwinder for her death, following which her husband Supreet Singh and father-in-law Bagh Singh had been arrested.

Act against guilty: Akal Takht Jathedar

Amritsar: Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh has termed the assistant professor’s suicide an unfortunate incident. “Strict action should be taken against those who are responsible for this incident, no matter how powerful they are. It is a big failure on the part of the government,” he said. TNS

The relatives of the victim along with members of 1158 Assistant Professors and Librarians Front also sat on a dharna at Ropar hospital today, saying that they would not cremate the body till the minister is booked in the case.

Hardev told the police that his sister had been disturbed for the last two years because she could not join her duty despite getting recruited as assistant professor by the state government. He said on October 21, he found a voice message on the phone of his sister that she was not happy with her husband. He lodged a complaint against her husband and father-in-law, he added.

Till that time he was not aware of any suicide note left by Balwinder, he claimed. Hardev said now when her suicide note was already with the police and her body recovered from the canal, action must be taken against the minister.

Yesterday, SAD and BJP leaders had staged a dharna at the hospital and police station, demanding that the minister must be named in the case. They, however, left at 2.30 am, claiming that the police had assured them of issuing a daily diary report mentioning Bains as accused in the case in the morning. And if the government failed in nominating the minister as accused on Tuesday, they would again stage a dharna, they said.

Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar, National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura and Ropar BJP president Ajay Vir Singh Lalpura also reached the hospital to meet the relatives of the deceased and front members.

Ropar SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said the police were still probing all angles and evidences relating to the incident before reaching any conclusion. The material evidence, including suicide note and mobile phones, would be sent for forensic examination tomorrow, he added.

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