E-Paper
Witnesses apprehensive about appearing before us at Haryana: Committee probing Shubh Karan’s death
Consequently, the committee has now asked the witnesses to depose before it at Kisan Bhawan, Sector 35, Chandigarh, on May 6.
The committee, headed by a former judge of Punjab and Haryana high court, which is probing the death of a young farmer at Khanauri barrier during the farmers’ agitation on February 21, observed that the witnesses were apprehensive about appearing before it at a venue which is in Haryana.
Consequently, the committee has now asked the witnesses to depose before it at Kisan Bhawan, Sector 35, Chandigarh, on May 6.
The committee, appointed by the high court, had made an on-site visit at Jind in Haryana on Thursday to establish the place of occurrence and cause of death of the young farmer, Shubh Karan. It is likely to submit an interim report to the high court by May 28.
The proceedings of the committee following its April 18 visit to Haryana said that the counsel appearing along with parties submitted that they would like to lead evidence, by way of affidavit/statement, and would submit documents regarding the incident that took place on February 21 which led to injuries inflicted by the Haryana police on them during their peaceful agitation.
“However, the witnesses/injured persons are apprehensive about appearing before the Committee at a venue which is within the state of Haryana. A request has been made that the venue should be fixed either in the State of Punjab or Chandigarh. It is also submitted that a maximum of 30 persons would come forth to depose,” reads the proceedings of the three-member committee, headed by former Punjab and Haryana high court judge, Justice Jaishree Thakur.
The HC had on March 7 constituted the committee headed by Justice Thakur (retd) stating that the court is of the considered opinion that the investigations regarding the death of Shubh Karan cannot be solely entrusted to the governments of Punjab or Haryana as both the states have several things to cover up.
The committee has been asked to give a report as to which of the police authorities will have the jurisdiction to investigate the death of Shubh Karan since the place of occurrence and the death has to be confirmed as one state is shirking its responsibilities whereas the other is yearning to get its hands on the investigation, the HC order said.
The committee is also looking into the cause of death of Shubh Karan and from which type of weapon did the bullet/pellet emanated. It will also examine whether the force which was used by the police was commensurate with the situation, besides working on the issue of compensation to be awarded to the family of the deceased. “The post-mortem report would also go on to show that as per the information provided by the police, the deceased died due to rubber bullet/pellet. The post-mortem report of the hospital, however, records the presence of various multiple metallic density foreign bodies,” the HC order said.