CBI stops Beas flow to search for girl’s body

The CBI went an extra mile to fulfill the wish of an anguished mother by blocking even the water flow in the Bhakra-Beas canal in Punjab to trace the body of a 17-year-old girl, murdered four years ago.

The CBI went an extra mile to fulfill the wish of an anguished mother by blocking even the water flow in the Bhakra-Beas canal in Punjab to trace the body of a 17-year-old girl, murdered four years ago.

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Amandeep’s mother urged the CBI to find her body to perform the last rites. The girl’s father is an NRI based in Italy.

In January 2004, Amandeep Kaur was allegedly murdered by Jagtar Singh and his accomplice Jarnail Singh. The reason: Amandeep broke off with Jagtar after he tried to force her into marriage. The CBI has secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Jagtar, believed to be in Germany.

Last week, the CBI brought together four agencies – the Bhakra-Beas Management Board (Nangal), the state irrigation department, the Punjab State Electricity Board and the civil administration – to block the water flow from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., as Jarnail had confessed that they dumped Amandeep’s body in the canal.

The CBI engaged divers from the Bhakra Beas board to search a 30-km stretch last week. But, no body was found.

Amandeep’s family had filed a complaint about her disappearance with the local police, who registered a case only after five days.

CBI investigations showed that Jagtar Singh surrendered before a court in Punjab on April 16, 2005 after the court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

But on May 28, 2005, local police moved an application before the Judicial Magistrate for discharging Jagtar. He was finally set free on May 31, 2005, the CBI said.

On May 25, 2007, Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered that the case be transferred to the CBI. In its chargesheet, the CBI claimed Jagtar and Jarnail had murdered her, put the body in a gunny bag and dumped it in Mukerian Hydel Channel.