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Behbal Kalan firing case: Victims’ kin refuse to lift protest till final chargesheet is filed
The protesters, including family members of the victims and Sikh organisations, on Saturday, announced that “Beadbi Insaaf Morcha” will continue its protest till the final chargesheet in the Behbal Kalan firing case is submitted in the court.
The protesters, including family members of the victims and Sikh organisations, on Saturday, announced that “Beadbi Insaaf Morcha” will continue its protest till the final chargesheet in the Behbal Kalan firing case is submitted in the court.
Till now, five chargesheets have been filed in the court against seven persons, including five cops -- former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, suspended IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal, ex-SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma, SP Bikramjit Singh and inspector Amarjit Singh Kular. While the chargesheet against accused inspector Gurdeep Singh Pandher is pending.
On February 24, the Punjab police special investigation team (SIT) filed a chargesheet in the Kotkapura firing case naming then Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, his deputy and son Sukhbir Badal, and then state police chief Sumedh Singh Saini among seven, as key accused.
In Behbal Kalan, two Sikh protesters — Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village and Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village in Faridkot district — were killed on October 14, 2015, when they were protesting against the Bargari sacrilege incident.
The son of one of the victims killed in the 2015 firing incident, Sukhraj Singh has been sitting on protest at a bus stop at Behbal Kalan village on national highway 54 against the delay in the investigation for the past 448 days. He has been supported by various Sikh organisations who have joined the protest.
“The SIT has filed a chargesheet in the Kotkapura firing case, which has given us hope of justice. Now, the government should put together a strong panel of lawyers to present these cases in court. But we will not lift the dharna till the pending chargesheet in the Behbal Kalan firing case is filed in the court. We will hold a “Shukrana March” to Amritsar on Sunday. But soon after that we will return to the Behbal Kalan and continue our protest,” Sukhraj said.
The state agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan reached Behbal Kalan to attend “Ardaas Samagam” on Saturday. Dhaliwal said that the accused of sacrilege and police firing cases should get ready to face justice. “A chargesheet will also be filed in Behbal Kalan firing case soon. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has asked me to tell you people that the state will engage top lawyers and win this battle for justice at any cost,” he said.
“The government is committed to providing justice in 2015 firing cases and soon all the accused will face justice,” Sandhwan added.
