Maur blasts: Family members of victims record statement before SIT

Bathinda Three persons from families of children who were killed in Maur twin bomb blasts of January 2017 recorded their statement before the Special Investigation

Bathinda Three persons from families of children who were killed in Maur twin bomb blasts of January 2017 recorded their statement before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Thursday. Rakesh Kumar, father of Saurav Singla; Khushdeep Singh, father of Japsimran Singh, and Nachhatar Singh, uncle of Ripandeep Singh, recorded their statements.

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On January 29, police had filed a challan against three followers of Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda, who are named as an accused in the case. The three are yet to be arrested and have been declared proclaimed offenders.

Kumar said the top management of the dera should be questioned in connection with the blasts as it had emerged that the car used in the blast was modified at the workshop in dera headquarters. “I have also raised the issue of Punjab government not reimbursing bills of treatment of my son at a Ludhiana hospital,” Kumar claimed.

Seven persons, including five children, were killed in twin bomb blasts in a Maruti Suzuki-800 car on January 31, 2017 evening at the rally of Congress’ Maur candidate Harminder Singh Jassi. The blasts had taken place four days before the polling for Punjab assembly elections. Jassi had a narrow escape in the incident. Jassi’s daughter is married to son of now jailed dera head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Hearing on Feb 14

The hearing on the status report of the probe by the new SIT is on February 14 in the Punjab and Haryana high court. The new SIT was formed by Punjab government on the directions of HC on October 18 on a petition by Gurjeet Singh Patran of Patiala seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The new SIT has submitted its report. The hearing, however, could not take place on the previous date of January 30.