Chandigarh: The mystery of Sikh youth’s disappearance after being taken away by Indian security forces has all but has been solved. An Indian daily Pioneer last week reported that numerous dead bodies of Sikh youths had been detected flowing through Punjab’s canals. Some of the bodies went to Rajasthan through the Abohar canal compelling the government of Rajasthan to write to Punjab government for investigation. Many bodies were found in the Sarhand canal in January when it was closed for annual repairs. These sensational facts were born out by eye witnesses when a Pioneer reporter visited a few places along the Kola branch of the Sarhand canal. The canal maintenance staff as well farmers of adjoining fields confirmed that they took out seven dead bodies from the Sarhand canal Similar facts were also collected form the Bathinda branch of the canal.
Farmers find it difficult to believe the bodies are tied together. They are either killed before throwing the dead bodies into the canals or are drowned. Whenever farmers or canal officials take out a body and report the matter to the police the later ignore the matter. No inquiry is ever held nor is any post mortem carried out. The police effort invariably is no attempt to identify the dead bodies. The report also refers to the fact the few police interrogation centers are located near canals. These include one near the Sarhand canal near Ropar. Another run by the RPE is situated near Dhandari village along the Sidhwan branch of Sarhand canal at Lukhiana Punjab Human Rights Organization has strongly advocated a comprehensive investigation by international human rights organizations into the fascist methods adopted by the Indian state to annihilate the Sikh youths The Akal Dal (Mann) and. Babbar Akali Dal in separate statements have also sought an enquiry and end to massacre of Sikh youths.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1992
