JALANDHAR;Lal Devinder Singh and Daulat Ram, sarpanches of Rehmanpura, Sufipind and Alipur villages respectively of this district, alleged here that an Assistant Sub Inspector of Indian police along with his armed subordinates committed a dacoity in Sufipind on November 13.

The sarpanches said that about 15 policemen came to Sufipind by a Maruti van (Regd No DSD 2890) and committed docility in five houses to take away 400 grams of gold ornaments, imported cloth, tape recorders and other valuables.

One of the head constables were a belt on which No 1251 was inscribed. The villagers recognized the A.S.I. An army checks post outside the village noted down the vehicles number. The village heads brought the dacoity to the notice of the D.G. and the S.S.P. of the district.

On November 10 a similar incident took place in Dhannowali village. The policemen took away a number of valuable from the house of Chattar Singh. These valuables had been brought by the two sisters from Canada where they lived.

The sarpanches said that he villagers had much more to fear from the police than from militants and regretted that senior police officers had turned a dear ear to their complaints.

LUDHIANA: Armed policemen have reportedly robbed two dozen houses in Manakwal, Ayali Kalan and a few other villages on the periphery of Ludhiana during the past few days.

In Ayali village the group of armed men numbered 12. They looted eight houses and decamped with gold worth R.s 10 lakh; the policemen raided the hide of Sukhdev Singh in Ayali on ground of searching for arms but took away six tolas of gold and R.s 4000 in cash. Sukhdev Singhs two sisters were also asked to part with their ear rings which they did. According to Sukhdev Singh, two of the robber policemen carried stenguns while others had pistols and revolvers. According to Gajjan Singh, a dozen policemen came to his house to take away two tola of gold and R.s 1000 in cash.

There has been a spate of robberies by armed policeman in Ludhiana district. In Doraha area R.s 25 were looted by the policemen.

BATALA :Kalanaur polie picked up Balwant Singh son of Labh Singh of Kotla

Mughlan about three months ago. His whereabouts remain unknown to his closerelations. Another resident of Kotla Mughlan, Harbhajan Singh son of Labh Singh, too, was picked up by the police. His whereabouts also remain to be locoed. Similarly, the Kalanaur for the past three months, Jagir Singhs 70-yr-old father was picked up more than three months ago, his brother Rachhpal Singh was arrested a week ago and Jaswant Singhs brother Gurdial Singh was detained about three months ago. The whereabouts of all these gentlemen remain unknown to their relations. Bachittar Singh of Kot Surat Malli also in the custody of Kalanaur police for more than a month, Joga Singh of Dera Pathan i in the custody of Dera Baba Nanak police for more than a month. There are reports forms almost every village of Sikhs being picked up by Indian security forces, either detained in miserable conditions or killed in fake encounters for months and years.

MUKTSAR; Indian security forces destroyed a 24acre sugarcane farm of Tara Singh Saranwan on November 18 on a false information that certain Sikh activists had been taken shelter there. The farmer, a worker of Akali Dal (Longowal), had his. Loss assessed by officers of the area sugar mill who put it at R.s 9 lakh, the forces used

 LUDHIANA: Public organizations in separate statements alleged that certain corrupt officers in Punjab had conspired to frame journalists in false and fabricated cases 10 escape their exposure.

  Punjab B.K.U. chief Ajmer Singh Lakhowal Paigam group Chief Malwinder Singh Mali. Minorities and Dalit front leader Balwant Singh Tohra and Sher Singh Doomsheri said that journalists had been made special targets by certain corrupt police and civil officers. False reports were being sent against daring journalist to pave the way for launching fabricated cases against them.

Lakhowal said that his organization would strongly resist any attempt at framing journalists.

Hoshiarpur:The Jhojar village panchayat in this district alleged that a group of 20 armed policemen raided the houses of Sarwan Singh; Gurdey Singh, Malkiat Sing akhar Singh and Surinder Kaur on the night of November 1314 on pretext of carting out search operation and took away valuables and money worth R.s 3 lakh, All the raiders were in police uniform. They had their faces covered to conceal their identity. They threatened to kill those who tried to resist the “search”. The residents made formal complaint to the police the next day but the authorities took no action.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 29, 1991