Tarn Taran police dragged feet on victim’s complaint for 10 days
TARN TARAN: A prompt police action could have saved the lives of 98 people who died after allegedly consuming illicit liquor over the last four days in Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts of the Majha region.
For, three labourers died and a farmer lost his vision after allegedly having consumed hooch at Tarn Taran’s Rataul village over a span of 48 hours a fortnight ago. The police were aware of the Rataul incident as a first information report (FIR) was registered July 27 against Parkash Singh for allegedly supplying illicit liquor in the village on the complaint of Ravinder Singh (52), a farmer, 10 days after he lost his eyesight.
This despite the fact that Ravinder claims to have filed a complaint with the police on July 18 only.
Interestingly, the police registered the case under Section 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc) of the Indian Penal Code but did not add sections of the Excise
Act as the complaint was related to consumption of illicit liquor. Ravinder also mentioned in the complaint that three persons of his village died after consuming the spurious liquor.
The alleged victims were Raunak Singh (42), Joginder Singh (55) and Surjit Singh (28), all labourers. While Raunak died on July 16, Joginder and Surjit succumbed a day later. The families cremated their bodies without informing the police.
Their family members said police officials came to record their statements later on even as they did not lodge any formal complaint.
Ravinder in his police complaint said, “On July 16, I bought a bottle from Parkash who along with his other family members has been selling illicit liquor in the village for nearly two decades. Once I consumed it, I felt pain in my stomach but I somehow slept. When I woke up in the morning, I experienced blurred vision. I was taken to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar and then referred to a private healthcare facility. But the doctors said I had lost my vision completely and there were no chances of recovery.”
“On July 18. I along with my brother Harpal Singh went to the Daburji police post but the police did not register any case. It was filed only after we repeatedly pursued the matter,” the complaint read.
Sukjinder Singh, husband of Rataul sarpanch Mandeep Kaur who owes allegiance to the ruling Congress, said, “The police were well aware of the sale of illicit liquor in the village, particularly after the three deaths.”
Daburji police post in-charge Gajjan Singh said, “Action was not taken in connection with the three deaths as an inquiry was marked to the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) by the Tarn Taran deputy commissioner .”
DC Kulwant Singh said, “In the wake the three deaths, we had asked the police register a case against the culprits. The Rataul deaths are part of the ongoing probe into the recent hooch episode.”
THREE LABOURERS DIED WHILE A FARMER LOST HIS VISION AFTER CONSUMING SPURIOUS LIQUOR AT TARN TARAN’S RATAUL VILLAGE ON JULY 16 AND 17