CHANDIGARH: Ms Surjit Kaur who lost two brothers their wives and four children in the 1984 riots is now running from pillar to post to secure the release of her husband Ajmer Singh and brother Surjit Singh who are allegedly in illegal police custody.

 Ajmer Singh was reportedly picked up from the office of the senior superintendent of police in Patiala while Surjit Singh was held at Ageti village in Nabha tehsil on June § along with Karar Singh an assistance to a local advocate.

 Following a habeas corpus writ petition Kartar Singh was traced and released June 11.

Ajmer Singh and Surjit Singh had been approaching senior police officers seeking to register a case of murder against some local goons in Allowal village Patiala district. The goons had allegedly kidnapped and killed Surjit Kaur’s father Bhag Singh two years ago and then thrown his body into a canal. Kartar Singh claims he was an eyewitness to the body being disposed of.

Later Kartar Singh said he was being tortured by the police and being warned not to testify in the murder case.  Bhag Singh too had become a victim because he saw the goons who had raped another daughter of his Manjit Kaur the same day. ‘The goons were obviously out to eliminate the only eye-witness Says Surjit Kaur No case was registered for wounding and raping Manjit Kaur who died three months later due to her traumatic experiences and deep wounding.

Surjit Kaur says the alleged rapists were men of ill-repute who lived nearby. They had tried to make her father leave the village where the family had settled after the Delhi riots In the case of Bhag Singh an abduction case was registered: against four persons in September 1993 15 months after the incident. However the family members insisted that a case of murder should be registered

Ajmer Singh and the other members of the family finally met the director-general of police about a week ago and he directed them for meet the local SSP. When Ajmer Singh went to see the SSP on June 8 he was reportedly picked up.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 17, 1994