AMRITSAR: While the CBI probe into the ‘disappearance’ of the human Rights activist, Mr. Jaswant Singh Khalra on the orders of the Supreme Court is yet to begin, there is already strong evidence to suggest that he may have been done to death.
Independent inquiries indicate that he was killed by his “kidnappers” on the night of September 7 and 8. Police sources said on condition of anonymity, that the involvement of Tam. ‘Taran police in the incident was apparent.
Mrs. Paramjit Kaur, wife of Mr. Khalra, says that her husband was taken away around9:30a.m., on September 6, by policemen in uniform. on the other hand, S.K. Goel, SSP, Amritsar district, while admitting to lack of a breakthrough in the case, ‘said any uniformed person could not be blindly accepted as a policeman.
He said that the police were working on three theories, First, that Mr. Khalra could have been kidnapped by militants to defame the police. A land dispute involving Mr. Khalra’s relatives is advanced as another probable reason and lastly, the possible involvement of policemen in the incident.
According to Mrs. Khalra, her husband was on his way to keep his appointment with a press correspondent in Amritsar, when he was kid Tapped by policemen in a Maruti van, accompanied by a police Gypsy, fitted with a wireless set. The occupants were also heard communicating on the set. Mr. Khalra was to meet the correspondent in connection with a story on pending cases against the Tarn Taran police.
Discreet inquiries revealed that the same people were earlier seen taking tea at a shop near Mr. Khalra’s residence, When Mrs, Khalra left her house to go to the Guru Nanak Dev University campus where she works, the two vehicles moved towards the house, She returned fearing foul play.
Mrs, Khalra maintains that the kidnapping took place in the presence of both herself and a family friend, Mr. Rajiv Singh. Mr. Sukhdev Singh China, SP (City), who was earlier asked to inquire into the case, has in his report mentioned that there were no clues evading to the crime, Incidentally, Mr. China himself was at one time in the dock for allegedly tattooing women accused of pickpocketing.
Mr, Khalra’s wife has volunteered to point out the “kidnappers” if an identification parade is conducted. ‘Among the persons she has named are Mr, Surinder Pal Singh, SP (Headquarters), Mr. Surinder Pal Singh, SHO, Sarhali police station, Mr. Jasbir Singh, SHO, Mr. Mano chahall, Mr, Satnam Singh, SHO, Mr. Chhabal and constable Pritpal Singh, all of Tarn Taran police,
‘The Tarn Taran SSP, Mr. Ajit Singh Sandhu, has chosen to wash his hands of the incident by saying that he was on leave from September 611 in connection with his daughter’s marriage in Chandigarh. He also gave a clean chit to all his officers, who had even been named by Mrs. Khalra in her petition. Mr. Sandhu said: “My men have fought a war for the nation and have no grudge despite being harassed by antinational agencies,”
Mr. Rajiv Singh, the only independent eyewitness to the kidnapping, said Mr, Khalra had been receiving threats, Certain police officers were angry with him following allegations by Mr. Khalra that bodies of 25,000 “unidentified” youths were cremated, mainly in the Tarn Taran area from 1984 to 1994, This is now a subject of a separate inquiry ordered by the Supreme Court. Mr. Singh is presently in hiding fearing police backlash.
Meanwhile, all the officers named by Mrs. Khalra have denied their involvement. The SP, Mr. Surinder Pal Singh, said he was present at his office listening to grievances of the people. Mr. Jasbir Singh was “on leave” from September 48, having gone to pay obeisance at “Hemkunt Sahib.”
Mr, Satnam Singh said he was engaged in an operation to recover one kg of opium on the day of the incident, and showed a related FIR. The SHO of Sarhali, Mr. Surinder Pal Singh, who was on leave, could not be contacted.
In fact, Mr. Sandhu’s transfer back to Tam Taran as SSP from Ropar last year was widely seen as an attempt to ‘Suppress evidence in cases against policemen in courts. Many officers, including Mr. Sandhu, are either facing inquiries or stand indicted in different cases.
Mr. Sandhu admitted that 80% of the non-gazette officers posted in the district was facing various inquiries. Four out of seven DSPs were also facing court proceedings on various charges,
The SSP too spoke of the possible involvement of some militant outfit and also referred to a land dispute between Mr, Khalra and his cousins.
However, Mr. Khalra’ s relatives in Khalra village denied there was any land dispute in the family, His cousin, Mr. Gopal Singh, was in tears and hinted that Mr. Khalra may not be alive.
Mr. Navkiran Singh, a Chandigarh based human rights lawyer, said Mr. Khalra had met him in August, seeking the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court for security. The Court was considering the request, when the*“disappearance” took place.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 24, 1995
