Body cremated, govt orders probe into ‘medical negligence’

SANGRUR/CHANDIGARH:THE body of Jagmail Singh (37), a Dalit construction worker who was tortured and forced to drink urine before he died at the Postgraduate Institute of PGIMER, Chandigarh, was cremated on Tuesday at Changaliwala village in Sangrur district’s Lehragaga sub-division.

State education minister Vijay Inder Singla, former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and deputy commissioner Ghanshyam Thori handed over a cheque of ₹6 lakh as first instalment of compensation to the victim’s family in the presence of members of Dalit outfits.

Singla said the remaining amount of ₹14 lakh will be given to the family on the day of the bhog ceremony and the state government will fulfil all promises, including ₹1.25 lakh for the construction of house and free education to Jagmail’s three children.

The Punjab government on Monday agreed to pay ₹20 lakh compensation and a government job to the victim’s wife after two days of protests in Lehragaga. Jagmail was assaulted on November 7 allegedly by four upper-caste men of the same village.

Meanwhile, state health and family welfare minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Tuesday asked the principal secretary (health) principal secretary, health, Anurag Aggarwal to probe allegations that Gurmail was not provided timely treatment at a government hospital. He asked Aggarwal to submit a comprehensive report within three days.

STATE SC PANEL FORMS PROBE TEAM

The Punjab Scheduled Castes Commission also constituted a two-member inquiry team to problem the killing. “The commission has taken the matter very seriously and the inquiry team comprising members Gian Chand and Poonam Kangra will conduct the probe jointly with the National SC Commission, Punjab SC Commission Tejinder Kaur said in a statement. She said the date will be fixed in consultation with the National Commission to initiate the probe.