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Jurisdiction issue: Punjab cops express inability to register FIR
The protesting farm unions are demanding registration of an FIR against those responsible for the death of a 21-year-old farmer, Shubh Karan Singh, the Punjab Police have expressed their inability to do so citing jurisdiction issues, officials privy to the development said
Patiala : The protesting farm unions are demanding registration of an FIR against those responsible for the death of a 21-year-old farmer, Shubh Karan Singh, the Punjab Police have expressed their inability to do so citing jurisdiction issues, officials privy to the development said.
A senior Punjab Police official requesting anonymity said that their Haryana counterparts have already said that Shubh Karan was injured in their (Haryana) territory. So, it will be impossible for Punjab Police to register an FIR in the case, the official said.
He added that Punjab revenue officials visited and checked the land records at Khanauri border on Thursday and confirmed that the incident spot is in Haryana.
Farm leaders and Shub’s family members have been insisting to file the FIR against officials of Haryana Police under Section 302 (murder).
“The area where Shubh Karan received head injury lies in the jurisdiction of Garhi police station in Jind district,” said a senior official of the Punjab Police pleading anonymity.
Suresh Kumar, station house officer of Garhi police station in Haryana’s Jind district, said: “We have checked the land records. The place where the farmer received injuries lies in our jurisdiction. We sent a team to Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, to take undertaking from the victim’s family to conduct postmortem, but they didn’t give consent.”
According to rules, the police of the area in whose jurisdiction an unnatural or suspicious death takes place, have to request the hospital authorities to conduct the postmortem, said a Punjab Police officer, not wishing to be named.
When questioned on the jurisdiction issue, Punjab ADGP (intelligence) Jaskaran Singh, who has been holding meetings with farmer union leaders during the ongoing farmer’s stir, said, “I am not aware of the matter. You should contact Patiala SSP.”
HT’s calls and texts to Patiala SSP Varun Sharma failed to elicit any response.
The incident took place at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border on Wednesday when the farm protesters rushed to the barricades, several layers of which had been erected by Haryana Police authorities to prevent them from proceeding with the “Delhi Chalo” march and clashed with the police.
According to the medical superintendent of Rajindra Hospital, Shubh Karan had an injury to his head. The post-mortem was delayed as the farmers pressed for the acceptance of their demands.
When questioned over the territory confusion, SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said: “Haryana Police can say whatever they want to, but they killed Shubh Karan is a fact. Punjab Police should register a case against them.”
Replying to another question, Dallewal, said the Bathinda senior superintendent of police has said that police could not register a case against Haryana security personnel. “If you cannot register a case, then how can you call yourself ‘Punjab de rakhe’ (Punjab’s protector),” Dallewal said, adding the police officer told them that if they registered a case, then Haryana security personnel would also do so.
“A youth died during our agitation. Our priority is to ensure justice for him. We are concentrating on it. It is up to the Punjab government how soon it will give justice to us,” he added.
