Sangrur Dalit’s murder: Victim’s body cremated, family gets first cheque of ₹6 lakh

The remaining amount of ₹14 lakh will be given to the family on the day of the bhog ceremony

The body of Jagmail Singh (37), a Dalit construction worker who was tortured and forced to drink urine before he died at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, was cremated on Tuesday at Changaliwala village in Sangrur district’s Lehragaga sub-division.

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State education minister Vijay Inder Singla, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori handed over a cheque of ₹6 lakh as first instalment of compensation to the victim’s family in the presence of members of Dalit outfits.

Singla said the remaining amount of ₹14 lakh will be given to the family on the day of the bhog ceremony and the state government will fulfil all promises, including ₹1.25 lakh for the construction of house and free education to Jagmail’s three children.

Mukesh Malaudh, the state chief of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee that led the protest against the brutal incident, said the state government should ensure exemplary punishment to the culprits.

The Punjab government on Monday agreed to pay ₹20 lakh compensation and a government job to the victim’s wife after two days of protests in Lehragaga. Jagmail was assaulted on November 7 allegedly by four upper-caste men of the same village.

The police have arrested Kamalpreet Singh alias Rinku, his father Amarjeet Singh, Yadwinder alias Lucky and Balwinder alias Binder. They are on police remand till November 21.