LUDHIANA: The International Human Rights Organization (THRO) May 27 alleged that Sangrur lawyer Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti had been kidnapped by the police on May 12 and said: The district Bar Association members and relations of Mr. Bhatt are worried about the well-being of the lawyer activist.
The organization also expressed concern over the inaction by the Akali leadership and the SGPC including the Akal Takht acting Jathedar Prof. Manjit Singh whom Sikh activists Bhai Kanwar Singh and his wife Julbir Kaur had written two letters urging him to take up their case and certain other cases of illegal detention torture and custody deaths
IHRO Chairman D.S.Gill in a Statement here Friday said an THRO two-member team accompanies by John Jahiburg New Delhi Bureau Chief of the Los Angeles Times investigated the case of disappearance of Mr Bhatti at the hands of the police.
The team met Babu Ram Sarup president District Bar Association Sangru Bhatt’s colleague Gurjvan Singh Sandhu other members of the bar and Bhatt i’s wife Harcharan jit Kaur and other relations Haying made spot inquires the THRO team concluded that Bhatt was picked up by the police. The team is inclined to believe that Bhatti has been marked for harassment torture or suspected elimination mainly because of his activities and responsibilities as a lawyer and human rights and political activist said Mr. Gill.
The non-party NGO in a meeting here last week decided to take up the case of Bhai Dhami and his wife at the national and international for a. It has already taken up the case of Bhatti with various world agencies including the US administration.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 3, 1994
