FARIDKOT, Punjab—Speaking with Sikh24 on August 31, United Akali Dal General Secretary Gurdeep Singh Bathinda welcomed the Faridkot Session Court verdict directing the police to provide status of the FIR registered against assailants for killing of two Sikh youths at Behbal Kala in 2015. During the court hearing that took place on August 30, the Police was asked to provide FIR status to the Court before September 29.
Notably, a complaint in this concern was filed by S. Mahinder Singh (father of Shaheed Bhai Krishan Bhagwan Singh) in February this year in which he had named the SSP Charanjit Sharma, SP Bikramjit Singh and SHO Amarjit Singh as guilty. Later, he had also named the Inspector General Paramraj Umranangal and Inspector Pardeep Singh among those who had opened fire on the peacefully protesting Sikhs.
S. Gurdeep Singh Bathinda held that the United Akali Dal has released the CCTV footage of unprovoked firing opened by Punjab police cops on peacefully protesting Sikhs in Kotakpura cross road and Behbal Kala. “The Police cops headed by IG Paramraj Umranangal can be clearly seen setting ablaze a Tata Ace vehicle, breaking the sound equipment placed in the vehicle, cane charging and opening unprovoked firing on peacefully protesting Sikhs,” S. Bathinda said.
“This video has totally sidelined the lies being spoken by the Police contingents. He added that the whole video depicts that the Sikh activists were peacefully protesting and none of them performed any provocative act that led Police to open firing on them.”
“Interestingly, the Police cops could also be seen destroying the evidences from spot after making the Sikh activists run away.” he added. “In these 20 minutes long CCTV footages, the IG Parmraj Umranangal could be observed taking instructions from someone on phone.”
S. Gurdeep Singh Bathinda said that the IG Parmraj Umranangal was appointed in Ludhiana at that time but was specially called on spot to open firing on the peacefully protesting Sikhs. He added that the details of Umranangal’s phone call need to be investigated thoroughly as it will unearth hidden facts behind the shooting incident. He added that he will rake up the matter with Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh and Investigation Commission also.
Gurdeep Singh Bathinda welcomed the verdict and said he hopes justice will be served.
The Session Court also recorded the statement of Prabhjit Singh (who is the eye-witness of Behbal Kala tragedy and son of Shaheed Bhai Krishan Bhagwan Singh) who told the Court that the protesters were peacefully reciting the Gurbani verses when the Police opened firing on them.
Role of Police and Akali Leaders in Killing of Innocent Sikhs
Gurdeep Singh Bathinda further claimed that in the wee hours of October 14, 2015 (before opening firing on Sikhs) the then DGP Sumedh Saini had held a meeting with Divisional Commissioner VK Meena, Deputy Commissioner Parminder Singh and SSP Sukhwinder Singh at the residence of Akali legislator Mantar Singh in village Sandhwa. He added that DGP Sumedh Saini had tried to build up pressure on Divisional Commissioner VK Meena and Deputy Commissioner Parminder Singh to give nod in written to the Police to open fire on the peacefully protesting Sikhs but none the duo agreed with him.
S. Ramandeep Singh Meeta, who is an eyewitness of the Behbal Kala incident, also told Sikh24 that Paramraj Umranangal was regularly talking to someone over phone and was repeatedly citing ‘Yes Sir…. Yes Sir’.
Background
On October 14, 2015 two Sikh youths namely Bhai Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Bhai Gurjit Singh were shot dead by the Police in an unprovoked firing opened on the peacefully protesting Sikhs. Several others were also injured in the firing while peacefully staging protest against the inability of Police to trace missing scripture of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Guru Nanak kirpa Jio_/\_