Sukhbir convoy attack was not attempt to murder: SIT
CHARGE DROPPED 5 Sikh radicals, 35 others were booked for Oct 4 incident
SANGRUR :The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Punjab Police has dropped the attempt-to-murder charge against Sikh hardliners who had hurled a shoe and a sword at SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s cavalcade in Sangrur on October 4.
The Sangrur police had lodged an FIR against five Sikh hardliners by name and 35 unidentified persons for attacking the cavalcade of Sukhbir when he was visiting a gurdwara to address party workers.
Sukhbir has a Z-plus security, but still activists owing allegiance to the Granthi Sabha and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) managed to throw a sword and a shoe at Sukhbir’s SUV.
On October 6, police arrested six men, Manjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Davinder Singh, Gurjant Singh, Gurjit Singh and Bachittar Singh. Initially, they were booked under sections 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and other relevant sections of the IPC; two days later, Section 307 (attempt to murder) was added to the FIR.
Following this, the government had drawn criticism from Sikh organisations and the Aam Aadmi Party as they sought a thorough probe into the incident. IGP AS Rai then formed a SIT under supervision of Patiala SSP Mandeep Singh Sidhu.
The SIT examined the vehicle and the video of the incident and summarised that there was no evidence that the accused had made an attempt to kill anyone.
“They were protesting and a shoe was hurled, and at the same time Bachittar Singh threw his sword covered in scabbard, which hit the back of the vehicle. Neither did it affect the vehicle movement nor it was thrown to hurt anyone,” the report says. The Sangrur police as well as the SIT have failed to identify the person who had hurled the shoe.
The FIR was lodged on the complaint of SAD leader Winnerjit Singh Goldy, also in the vehicle; one Lakhi was driving it.
IGP Rai said he will take a decision on the SIT report on Monday.