Days after 2 brothers jumped into Beas: SHO among three policemen booked for abetment to suicide
The decomposed body of one of the brothers was recovered from Dhundha village in Kapurthala district on Saturday; Navdeep Singh, who was posted as the SHO in Jalandhar commissionerate’s division number 1, was accused of physically and mentally harassing one of the brothers on the police station premises
A day after the body of a Jalandhar man (26), who was missing along with his brother since August 17, was recovered, the Kapurthala police booked three police personnel, including station house officer (SHO) Navdeep Singh and an inspector-level officer, on the charge of abetment of suicide.
Navdeep Singh, who was posted as the SHO in Jalandhar commissionerate’s division number 1, was accused of physically and mentally harassing one of the brothers on the police station premises.
On a written complaint by victim’s family, the Kapurthala police have registered a case under Section 306 (abetment of suicide), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC against Navdeep and two of his colleagues, including assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Balwinder Singh and woman constable Jagjeet Kaur.
The victims’ kin alleged that the two brothers, aged 26 and 34, had allegedly jumped into Beas after being harassed by the three police personnel.
The FIR was registered on the complaint of a victims’ cousin, who was present at the time of incident in the police station.
SHO was transferred to police lines
On August 25, the SHO was transferred to police lines a day after an inquiry was marked against him for allegedly harassing the two brothers.
As per the FIR, Navdeep was investigating a marital dispute between sister of victims’ friend and another party, for which they were called to police station on August 16.
“The accused SHO and two other accused were favouring the other party, due to which one of the brothers engaged in a heated argument with the SHO. Furious over it, the accused SHO allegedly assaulted the elder brother,” the FIR stated.
The FIR added that a false FIR was registered against the other boy, who is still missing, on the complaint of accused woman constable Jagjeet Kaur for allegedly misbehaving with the police.
On August 17, the younger brother allegedly jumped into the river, and his elder brother jumped after him in a bid to rescue him.
Kapurthala’s senior superintendent of police Rajpal Singh Sandhu said a case has been registered against three police personnel on the complaint of the victims’ family. “A board of doctors was constituted to conduct a post-mortem, following which the body has been handed over to the family. The investigation is on and further action will be taken according to the course of law,” said Sandhu.
Notably, the accused SHO was suspended in 2020 during Covid-19 lockdown for assaulting a vegetable vendor in Kapurthala’s Phagwara.
Congress demands arrest of three cops
The Congress on Sunday sought the arrest of the accused SHO and his two colleagues for allegedly abetting the suicide of two brothers.
“A lookout circular must be issued to ensure that all three accused do not flee the country,” said leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa in a statement, questioning the state government’s silence.
The Congress leader said body of only one of the victims has been recovered so far.
He said chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who holds the home portfolio, should explain why the accused SHO and his two colleagues have not been arrested so far.