Bathinda clash over rooster: Drug angle surfaces after victim’s death
FAMILY ALLEGES VICTIM FATALLY ATTACKED FOR OBJECTING TO NARCOTICS SALE AT THEIR VILLAGE BY THE ACCUSED
BATHINDA: The recent theft of a rooster that sparked off a group clash at Chauke village in Bathinda will be probed by a special investigation team after the death of a 26-year-old kabaddi player, Harvinder Singh, on June 9.
Harvinder’s family and their supporters have been protesting against the rival group by placing his body on national highway-7 (Bathinda-zirakpur) in front of Rampura Sadar police station since Thursday evening, forcing the cops to divert traffic via link roads. They have now alleged that Harvinder was fatally attacked for objecting to the sale of narcotics at their village by the accused. They also claimed that the police were shielding the drug peddlers and they would not perform the last rites till justice was done.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) BS Virk said a three-member SIT led by SP (investigation) Balwinder Singh will probe the matter. “In his complaint, Harvinder had only cited the theft of the rooster as the reason behind the attack on him and his friends. But in view of the charges made by his family, an SIT will probe the charges that drug peddlers were behind the murder,” Virk said.
The FIR was registered at Rampura police station on May 27 on the complaint of Harvinder,
who died during treatment at a private hospital in Ludhiana on June 9. In the FIR, there was no reference to any illegal sale or supply of narcotics.
Harvinder named five residents of Chauke for the attack on him and others at a farm on Pitho road on the evening of May 26. Later, eight more names were added to the FIR.
Harvinder said Gagna Singh and his brother Babbu Singh had stolen the rooster from the house of Harvinder’s uncle Makhan Singh. “My uncle brought the matter to the notice of the accused’s family. After that Gagna and Babbu were annoyed with me for supporting my uncle over the incident. When I was at a farm with friends, Gagna and Babbu attacked me and my friends with sharp-edged weapons, baseball bats and a pistol,” Harvinder has said in the FIR.
Constable suspended; farmers extend support
SSP Virk added that a constable posted at Chauke police post was suspended on Friday and departmental action has been recommended against two home guards for their failure to control the clash between the two groups on May 26. “On Thursday night, we shifted the entire team of the Chauke police post. They had been at the same place for 3-4 years,” he said, adding, “Eight people have been arrested. Our teams are talking to Harvinder’s family. Initial investigation says no one sustained a bullet injury. We are trying to secure videos of the clash.”
Farmer unions and controversial activist Lakha Sidhana extended their support to the aggrieved family on Friday. A committee of union leaders met Bathinda range inspector general of police (IGP), Jaskaran Singh on Friday. After the meeting, vice-president of Bharti Kisan Union (Dakonda) Manjit Singh Dhaner told reporters that last rites will be performed only after all accused are arrested and officials of Chauke police post are suspended.
“Unions and associations unanimously reject the complaint from the victim, where he had cited theft of rooster as the sole reason. Harwinder was killed only because he raised a voice against sale of ‘chitta’ (drugs). Police are hand-inglove with peddlers and the national highway blockade will be lifted only if all policemen associated with the case are suspended.