Outcry over sangrur daily wager’s murder: Dalit outfits, farmer unions rally behind victim’s family

Coming out in support of the family of Jagmail Singh (37), who was tortured by upper-caste men and forced to drink urine before he died at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh on Saturday, members of various Dalit organisations, farmer unions and political parties on Sunday laid hours-long siege to the Lehra-Sunam highway.
Jagmail’s family on Saturday had refused to accept his body at PGIMER. The protest, which started 1km from the residence of former chief minister and Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal at Changaliwala village in Lehragaga sub-division in the noon, was on till late evening.
The protesters, who raised slogans against the Punjab government alleging caste discrimination, demanded ₹50 lakh compensation for Jagmail’s family and government job for one member. They are on an indefinite stir. The victim’s minor children also joined the protest even as his wife was at the PGIMER.
The four accused — Kamalpreet Singh alias Rinku, his father Amarjeet Singh, Yadwinder alias Lucky and Balwinder alias Binder of Changaliwala village — have been arrested. Jagmail, a Dalit construction worker, had an altercation with them over a minor dispute on November 7.
On Sunday, the protest was supported by the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee, Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union, Mazdoor Mukti Morcha (MMM), Punjab Students Union (Randhawa) and the Punjab Radical Students Union (PRSU), etc.
Also, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sunam MLA Aman Arora, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Gulzar Singh, Communist Party of India (CPI)’s state unit secretary Bant Singh Brar along with folk singer and Dalit activist Bant Singh Jhabhar, also a survivor of an attack by upper-caste men, joined the protest.
Earlier, leader of opposition in Punjab assembly Harpal Singh Cheema met the victim’s family members at the village.
“The arrest of the accused is not enough. The state government is escaping from its responsibility. The family has not accepted Jagmail’s body and we will continue with the protest till the demands are not met,” said Bikkar Singh, the district chief of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee.
Bant Singh Jhabhar, who had attacked by his landowner that cost him both of his arms and his left leg in 2006, said he will fight for Jagmail’s family and will not leave the site till justice is not delivered.
“It does not matter who is chief minister. It could be Parkash Singh Badal or Capt Amarinder Singh. The life of Dalits has not changed. They are being killed and harassed with impunity. I was attacked by upper-caste people for opposing the harassment of my daughter. I want justice for Jagmail’s family,” Bant said.
Sangrur deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said the administration is ready to provide ₹8.25 lakh compensation and ₹5,000 pension to the victim’s wife.
“We are ready with first installment of the amount and rest will be given next week. Talks are on in this regard,” said Thori.
Some upper-caste villagers join hands for justice
Some upper-caste residents of the village also joined the protest, demanding adequate compensation for the family of Jagmail who lived with his wife and three minor children in a one-room house.
“All Brahmin, Jat and Sikhs want justice for Jagmail as it was a horrific incident. We also demand punishment to the accused and financial assistance for the family. But it was not a case of caste discrimination,” said Palla Singh, an upper-caste resident of the village.
The residence of the accused — Amarjeet and Rinku — was locked on Sunday.
Former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal along with Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Verka and Raj Kumar Chabbewal met the family members of Jagmail Singh and protesters at Changaliwala village on Sunday evening.
Verka said the state government will give ₹5,000 pension to Jagmail’s wife besides providing free education to his three children.
“A family member will be given job,” he added.
Earlier, state education minister Vijay Inder Singla along with Verka held a meeting with Patiala range inspector general (IG) Jatinder Singh Aulakh, deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Garg seeking report on what steps were taken in the case.
-
Two men shot dead in Hisar, gang rivalry suspected
Two men were shot dead near Hisar's Puthi Samain village on Sunday, police said. The victims, Amit Kumar and Sandeep, both aged 25 and residents of Rohtak's Nindana village, were travelling in a car when they were intercepted. Couple on bike mowed down in Yamunanagar A bike-borne couple was crushed to death by a speeding truck near Kulpur village on Shahabad-Jagadhri road in Yamunanagar on Sunday. A case was registered at Chappar police station.
-
When they have chai together, they drink it from the same glass. Afzal, 21, and Sabeena, 19, are in love. Afzal is wearing black jeans and a very tight brown shirt. Sabeena is in a blue kurta paired with a flowery dupatta. They married a year ago. “It was a love marriage,” she points out. “Our parents were not in favour of the marriage,” Afzal adds. The lovers like many traits about each other.
-
Bihar: At least 10 trains cancelled, 30 diverted after railway agitation
At least 10 trains were cancelled and 30 diverted or short terminated as rail traffic got disrupted on the Mokamah-Kiul section of the East Central Railway zone due to an agitation at the Barhaiya railway station, officials said. According to the ECR headquarters at Hajipur, the trains which have been cancelled include four express ones, connecting the state with Kolkata, Sealdah and Jasidih.
-
Farooq Abdullah demands ₹20 lakh compensation for families of tunnel accident victims
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Sunday sought ₹20 lakh ex gratia for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in a tunnel collapse on Srinagar-Jammu highway. In a statement, Abdullah said the deceased were the sole breadwinners for their poor families. The unfortunate event, he said, has left the victim families in dire straits, he said. He called upon the Jammu and Kashmir administration to reach out to the affected families.
-
J&K tunnel collapse: 2 local labourers laid to rest, bodies of 8 others sent to hometowns
Two local labourers, who were among the 10 killed after a landslide hit an under-construction tunnel here, were laid to rest in their native Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir, while the mortal remains of eight others were dispatched to their hometowns outside the union territory, officials said on Sunday.