Amritsar, Punjab (February 26, 2014): It is learnt that the Punjab Chief minister Prakash Singh Badal has ordered a magisterial probe into the police lathicharge on agitating farmers February 21 during a protest staged by them outside the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) office, which claimed one life. The probe was reportedly ordered CM Badal on February 25.
According to certain media report the Amritsar police commissioner, Jatinder Singh Aulakh, said the chief minister had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the entire incident, including the confinement of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited officials.
There was strong criticism of the police lathicharge on farmers. Dal Khalsa had condemned the Punjab police for mercilessly thrashing the farmers.
Punjab police resorted to brutal lathicharge on demonstrating farmers at Amritsar on February 21, 2014.
As per inforamtion earlier, the protesting farmers under the banner of Kissan Sangharsh Committee (KSC) met the chief minister seeking the release of five arrested farmer leaders, who were sent to judicial custody on February 24.
Badal had reportedly remained non-committal on the issue during the meeting with KSC members. The farmers said they would intensify their struggle in the days to come. The meeting lasted for more than an hour at Circuit House in Amritsar, during which the farmers urged the chief minister to ensure the release of the arrested farmer leaders.
Satwinder SIngh Chutala, General Secretary of Kisan Sangharsh Committee (KSC) reportedly said: “[t]he chief minister’s response to our demand was negative. We are unhappy with his reply that he would look into the matter. We will intensify our struggle in the days to come”.
According to the police claims a number of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited officials had been held hostage inside the chief engineer’s office by protesting farmers, which invoked police action on Feb. 21. A farmer named Bahadur Singh (79) had died during in this incident, however the police is denying any responsibility.
The farmers had been booked under sections 323/353/186/ 341/342/427/188/148/149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on charges of attacking the police and holding hostage the PSPCL officials.