4 arrested for abetting SBS Nagar youth’s suicide; sarpanch, husband absconding

JALANDHAR Four people, including a panch, were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the death of 22-year-old Varinder Singh of Nangal Shanga village of SBS Nagar

JALANDHAR Four people, including a panch, were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the death of 22-year-old Varinder Singh of Nangal Shanga village of SBS Nagar district who had died by suicide on Monday. Varinder had alleged harassment by villages at the behest of village sarpanch and her husband before taking the extreme step.

HT Image

The accused have been identified as Mandeep, Gopi, Rekha and Harpreet Singh, all residents of Nangal Shanga. Sarpanch Sita Devi and her husband Parkash Raj are absconding since their names were added to the FIR registered at Rahon police station under sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 295-A (intended to outrage reli­gious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code.

Victim’s father Nirmaljit Singh gave another statement to the police on Tuesday evening stating that his son committed suicide after being harassed by the villagers at the behest of Sita Devi and Parkash Raj. Earlier, he had also named SBS Nagar MLA Angad Singh Saini of the Congress.

The body of the youth was cremated at his native village on Wednesday after the postmortem.

Meanwhile, the opposition parties including Shiromani Akali Dal, Bharatiya Janata party, Aam Aadmi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have demanded registration of an FIR against Congress MLA Saini.