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Dalit’s murder: SC panel asks admn to provide house to kin, ensure safety
Also directs state home, social security and health departments to submit a detailed report to commission in the case within 15 days
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Saturday directed the Sangrur administration to provide a new house to the family of Jagmail Singh (37), who was tortured and forced to drink urine by some upper-caste men before he died at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, last week, and ensure their safety.
A three-member team of the commission, which visited Changaliwala village in the district where the gruesome incident took place on November 7, also directed Punjab home, social security and health departments to submit a detailed report to the commission in the case within 15 days.
Commission chairman Ram Shankar Katheria, who led the team, “The health department and police showed negligence soon after the incident took place. The victim was not given proper treatment in hospital when he was assaulted earlier. Even after the second incident, the police did not do the needful.”
The team, also comprising commission vice chairman L Murugan and member Yogendra Paswan, talked to Jagmail’s family members, village sarpanch and officials.
“The family informed us that they are receiving threats and feel unsafe in the village. The district collector and senior superintendent of police have been asked to provide residence at other place besides security,” added Katheria.
“It was an inhuman incident in which a man’s skin was pulled off with pliers and he was forced to drink urine. The principal secretaries of health, home and social welfare departments besides the Punjab director general of police (DGP) will be summoned to New Delhi to submit reports,” Katheria said.
The commission also directed the police to file a report within three days in the alleged assault on Jagmail’s brother Gurtej Singh by the same people a few years back, leaving his right hand broken.
Jagmail’s wife Manjit Kaur said they apprised the commission about the incident and also their concerns. “We will plan shifting out of the village after observing the situation for some time,” said Bhagwan Kaur, the victim’s mother.
Patiala range inspector general of police (IGP) Jatinder Singh Aulakh, Sangrur deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori and SSP Sandeep Garg accompanied the team.
BJP MPS SEEK JUDICIAL PROBE
Accusing the police and health departments of negligence, a delegation of BJP MPs also met the victim’s family and officials and urged the Punjab governor to order judicial probe into the matter.
The delegation comprised Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Vishnu Dayal Ram and Satya Pal Singh. “It seems the government and health department officials did not play their role. As the panel was formed by party president Amit Shah, we will submit our report to the party chief in a couple of days,” said Vinay Sahasrabuddhe.
