32 booked for Dalit woman’s murder in Sangrur village, unions want arrest

After the death of 70-year-old Dalit woman Gurdev Kaur of Jhalur village in Sangrur at the PGIMER in Chandigarh on Friday night, the police have booked around 32 people under Section 302 (murder). However, labour and farmer unions are not

After the death of 70-year-old Dalit woman Gurdev Kaur of Jhalur village in Sangrur at the PGIMER in Chandigarh on Friday night, the police have booked around 32 people under Section 302 (murder). However, labour and farmer unions are not satisfied with the step and they are demanding immediate arrest of all the accused and withdrawal of cases against their activists. They have decided not to get the postmortem of Gurdev Kaur conducted and cremate her body till their demands were met.

“Earlier, the accused were booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder), but now they have been booked for murder and raids are being conducted to arrest the accused,” said Harwinder Singh, station house officer, Lehra police station.

Gurdev Kaur was injured after a clash between Dalits, members of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee, and upper caste landlords, allegedly supported by local Akali leaders on October 5 at Jhalur village in Sangrur, over the possession of common land.

On Saturday, members of different labour and farmer unions are holding an indefinite protest outside the deputy commissioner’s office.

“We will not call off the protest till the arrest of all the accused. After the incident, the police arrested our 17 activists, we demand their unconditional release and suspension of the police officials, who supported SAD goons,” said Mukesh, president of the Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee.

He said, “The organisations have decided not to conduct the deceased’s postmortem and cremation till their demands are met.”