Tarn Taran encounter: SIT formed, forensic team visits site

A day after two murder accused were shot dead in a police encounter at Singhpura village in Bhikhiwind sub-division of Tarn Taran district, a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case as questions are being raised on the police action

A day after two murder accused were shot dead in a police encounter at Singhpura village in Bhikhiwind sub-division of Tarn Taran district, a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case as questions are being raised on the police action. The nihangs, Mehtab Singh, 50, and Gurdev Singh, 40, were accused of murdering a Sikh granthi, Baba Santokh Singh, 65, in Nanded city of Maharashtra on March 11

A team from the Forensics Science Laboratory at the encounter spot in Tarn Taran on Monday. (HT Photo)

SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said DSP rank officers Ravisher Singh and Kanwaljit Singh will be members of the SIT and Mehtab Singh, SP investigation, will supervise the investigation. A team of doctors has also been formed to conduct post-mortem of bodies. The SSP said family of one of the dead accused, Gurdev Singh, who belonged to Amritsar city, have been traced and intimated about his death.

“We have found that the second accused, Mehtab Singh, belonged to Anandpur Sahib but his kin is yet to be traced,” he said, adding that a transparent and fair investigation was already on in the case.

Notably, Tarn Taran deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh had ordered a magisterial probe hours after the Police action and assigned the probe to Patti SDM Rajesh Sharma. However, the SDM did not start the probe till Monday. “I will start probe tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Sharma

Meanwhile, a team of Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh, on request of the Tarn Taran Police visited the site for examination.

Human rights organisations, including Khalra Mission Organization and Punjab Human Rights Organization, have sought a probe into the incident by HC judges. A joint statement by many such organisations said police could not murder an accused, with only the court empowered to do so.

Khemkaran station house officer (SHO) sub inspector Narinder Singh and Valtoha SHO sub inspector Balwinder Sing who had been attacked with a sword by the accused underwent hand surgeries and their condition is stated to be stable.

Bhikhiwind SHO Sarbjit Singh, said, “The thumb of sub inspector Narinder Singh’s left hand was almost cut off by the sword, while the attackers severed sub-inspector Balwinder Singh’s little finger. Doctors successfully operated both officials and they are out of danger.”