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Kotkapura violence: SIT to quiz Sikh preacher Panthpreet, others on July 2
Panthpreet Singh, along with the other preachers including Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwalae, was leading the protest and was present on the spot when the protestors were cane-charged and gun shots were fired by the police, leading to injuries to a number of protestors, who were seeking action the incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib that had occurred the same year
In its second round of questioning in Faridkot, the special investigation team (SIT) probing the Kotkapura firing incident of 2015 will question Sikh preacher Panthpreet Singh, a key witness in the case, on July 2.
Eleven others, including six cops who were on duty at the time of the incident, have also been summoned by the SIT.
Panthpreet Singh, along with the other preachers including Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwalae, was leading the protest and was present on the spot when the protestors were cane-charged and gun shots were fired by the police, leading to injuries to a number of protestors, who were seeking action the incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib that had occurred the same year.
“We are appearing before the SIT at the designated place and date,” said Panthpreet’s son Jaswinder Singh. The incident occurred early morning on October 14, 2015, two days after protests started at Kotkapura. A case was registered on the complaint of Ajit Singh of Barnala who suffered injuries after being hit by gunshots.
As per a notice received by the witnesses, SIT members led by ADGP LK Yadav will camp in Faridkot on July 2 for questioning.
The state government reconstituted the SIT in April this year after Punjab and Haryana high court rejected findings of the previous SIT.
In its previous visit to Faridkot in May, the SIT had questioned then Ferozepur range inspector general of police (now ADGP) Jatinder Jain, then Faridkot SSP Sukhmander Singh Mann, then Kotkapura DSP (now SP) Baljit Singh Sidhu, DSP Maninder Singh Bedi and some junior cops.
Others who have been called include Himmat Singh, Surjeet Singh, Kala Singh Amarjeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh, constables Rachpal Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Ranit Singh, Praveen Kumar, Dalip Singh and Pradeep Singh of different battalions of Punjab armed police.
Earlier on June 26, the SIT had grilled SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was the deputy CM Punjab in SAD-BJP government when the firing incident took place and also held the charge of home department. Before that, on June 22, former CM Parkash Singh Badal was questioned.
The Yadav-led SIT has already questioned former DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, and other top officers IPS Sahota and Rohit Chaudhary, and suspended IPS officer PS Umranangal.
Plans to meet preacher Dhadrianwalae too
The SIT is also planning to meet Sikh preacher Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwalae and ask questions related to Kotkapura incident. Dhadrianwalae has returned from a US tour two days back and sources revealed that a process has been initiated to meet the preacher who is based near Patiala. The SIT is expected to meet him at a place of his choice for which a date is yet to be finalised.
