LUDHIANA: The Punjab Human Rights Organization confirmed that Sikh Youth of America activist Bhai Sukhbir Singh Dhillon had been killed in a fake encounter by the Amritsar police on July 3. He was here in Punjab in connection with the marriage of his sister.

PHRO Chairman D.S.Gill in a statement said Bhai Sukhbir Singh was picked up from a three-wheeler scooter on July 3 at noon by the police and CRPF party when he was on his way from his Thande village to Amritsar. He was severely beaten up and bundled into a police jeep in the presence of dozens of persons present there. Relatives and villagers approached the SSP and DSP but-to no avail.

Next day the police added Gill told newsmen that Sukhbir Singh and one Deesh Isai along with two unidentified militants were killed in an armed clash with the police near Kirat garh Thande village. The body of Bhai Dhillon was not handed over to his relatives for last rites despite requests. The report was based on a series of detailed accounts collected by a two member team of the PHRO comprising Gurbhajan Singh Gill and Naib Singh who conducted investigation into the matter The PHRO also received information from one Balwinder Singh of New York who in his letter disclosed that Sukhbir Singh along with his elder brother Ajit Singh and sister Baljit Kaur had come to Punjab for the marriage of Baljit Kaur. After the marriage on June 3 Ajit Singh returned to USA while Sukhbir Singh decided to stay for a month. He was married in Punjab last year on May 26 and his wife was staying here since then.

According to the PHRO team the police version that Bhai Sukhbir Singh along with three others was gunned down in an armed clash with the police is totally false and concocted Bhai Dhillon was already in the police custody as he was picked up by the police in full view of the public.

The PHRO urged the UN human rights agencies and other international groups to take note of these brutalities at the hands of the Indian security forces and to take effective steps to end the onslaught on the Sikhs.

PHRO also requested the public opinion especially the parliamentarians of the country to take up the matter of fake encounters in Punjab like the Pilibhit incident in which most of them had raised their voice in and outside the Parliament.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 16, 1991