Ludhiana Fake Encounter: Ruling party activists, politicians, villagers rally behind accused

Ludhiana: Politics has started over the cold-blooded killing of two brothers in Jamalpur area of Ludhaina. A day after Senior Superintendent of Police, Khanna, Harsh Bansal, was suspended and Machhiwara Station House Officer Manjinder Singh dismissed following the killings of two Dalit youths of Bohapur village, residents of 15 villages staged a protest at Neelon on Sept. 30 claiming that police and a ruling party leader accused in this case were not to be blamed for the incident.

The protest brought traffic to a standstill. The protesters belonged to Upplan, Areiyan, Bhattian (Machhiwara), Ghari Tarkhana, Bahaman Khurd, Punia and Kot Gangu Rai villages.

It is notable that two brothers – Harinder Singh (25) and Jatinder Singh (24) were killed in what appears to be a cold blooded murder in a house in Jamalpur area on the Chandigarh Road, Ludhiana at around 9 am on Sept. 27. Both were shot in their heads.

The brothers were reportedly unarmed and the police was accompanied by one Gurjeet Singh, a local leader of Badal Dal from Machhiwara area. The police initially terms the incident as ‘police encounter’ but later admitted that it was a ‘murder’ case.

Satpal Singh, victims’ father, alleged that the protest was sponsored by the police and politicians. He asked that his sons were booked in a case by the police, but was that the reason enough to kill them?

What protesters said in support of accuse:

The protesters claimed that the SSP and the SHO had been targeted by the sand mafia operating in the area. Manjit Singh of Ghari Tarkhana said the officers had tightened the noose around the sand mafia. That was why they had been falsely implicated in this case, he alleged.

Several protesters belonging to the ruling Badal dal claimed that Gurjeet Singh, husband of a Badal Dal Sarpanch, might have shot the brothers in “self-defence”. They said the involvement of Harinder and his younger brother Jatinder in criminal activities led to the incident. They maintained that there was no social divide in the area as was being “projected in the media”.

Pargat Singh, a local Congress leader of Punia village, lambasted Raj Kumar Verka, Vice-Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Caste, for seeking action in the case. “The leaders should not form opinions without knowing the reality. Both brothers were involved in several cases of eve-teasing and assault. Even their parents had disowned them,” he alleged, showing copies of five FIRs registered against the deceased brothers.

The blockade was lifted with the intervention of Samrala SDM Anuprita Johal. Pacifying the villagers, she said a magisterial probe was on in the case. The protesters handed over a memorandum to her. They warned if their demands were not met they would again stage a protest.

Other related updates:

There were reports that the dismissed SHO was rounded up. A case under the SC/ST Act was also registered against the accused.

Deceased brother were activists of Aam Aadmi Party. The AAP state-convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur has announced to hold state-wide protests on Wednesday (Oct.)

Aam Aadmi Party MPs Harinder Singh Khalsa, Bhagwant Mann, AAP convener Sucha Singh Chootepur and People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) president Manpreet Singh have shared condolence with the victims’ family. These leaders also visited the family to share their grief.