CHANDIGARH: Indian security forces continued to violate human rights in Punjab notwithstanding indictment of their actions by Asia Watch and other international human rights organizations
The Ferozepore district police dubbed two brothers Darshan Singh and Jagtar Singh of Nidda village near Malout as militants and killed them on August 29 according to Baldev Singh Ballangarh a member of the Punjab State Executive Committee of the United Communist Party of India a pro-Congress (I) outfit.
The Communist activist claimed that a land dispute was at the back of the murders the family of the deceased having been in possession of certain land in the village for years and the police had connived with these who wanted to evict them On four days prior to the killings the two others family had obtained a stay order from the court of Senior Sub-Judge Muktsar the Communist leader revealed.
The Communist leader quoted the father of the deceased Pritam Singh as stating that a police party headed by a D.S.P. descended on the farm house of the family on August 29 early morning. The two brothers were called out and were instantaneously shot dead while cases under section 307 IPC against 15 others persons were registered. The Faridkot police came to know about the incident much later. The UCPI leader alleged the involvement of a senior officer of Ferozepore district in the crime. He demanded registration of murder case against the police officers concerned after a high level enquiry into the incident.
M.S Gurupadswamy in a statement in Indian Parliament on September 3 demanded a C.B.I enquiry into police repression “on innocent people in Punjab. He referred to incidents of people being taken into custody by the police and their whereabouts not being known or they had been shown as killed in encounters. All democratic and trade union rights had been suppressed in Punjab. Gurupadswamy belongs to Janata Dal.
Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan headed by Baba Gurbachan Singh Manochahal in a statement released at Amritsar said that the police had picked up Bhai Balwinder Singh Kandrori in Himachal Pradesh without any reason and warned the police of serious consequences in the event of any harm to him. If there was any case against him the police should produce him in a court of law and prosecute him the BTFK demanded.
Khalistan Commando Force headed by Baba Wassan Singh Zafarwal in a statement issued at Chowk Mehta stated that the police had picked up several relations of militants. In many cases the persons thus picked up had been killed. The force gave a strong warning to police officers to desist from such misdeeds.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 13, 1991
