Behbal Kalan firing: Ex-SSP, three other cops named in FIR
CHANDIGARH/FARIDKOT : Under pressure from Sikh radicals and a section of Congress leaders, the Captain Amarinder Singh-led government has finally ordered to include the names of four police officials in the first information report (FIR) registered on October 21, 2015, in the Behbal Kalan firing incident in which two protestors were killed.
A government release issued here on Saturday said the names of police officials were included in the FIR following recommendations of the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission that had on June 30 submitted its report to the government on violence following the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in the state.
The names of then Moga SSP Charanjit Singh Sharma (now retired), then SP detective, Fazilka, Bikramjit Singh, inspector Pardip Singh and sub-inspector Amarjit Singh have been added to the FIR registered on October 21, 2015, under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (acts did by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC and the Arms Act at the Bajakhana police station in Faridkot following directives of chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, an official statement said.
The move has surprised many as Punjab director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora was said to be against naming cops in the FIR and he told HT on Thursday that the name of Charanjit and other cops was already there in the FIR registered at the Bajakhana police station. He was not available for comments on Saturday.
The 2015 FIR was registered on the recommendation of a special investigation team (SIT) led by additional director general of police (ADGP) IPS Sahota. The SIT was formed after the deaths of two protesters in the police firing at Behbal Kalan on October 14, 2015.
The deaths resulted in statewide outrage against the then SAD-BJP government. Charanjit was leading a police party that allegedly opened fire at the protesters.
Even as the DGP reportedly put his foot down against naming cops in the FIR, a senior government functionary said the decision was taken after senior Congress leaders, including some ministers, said that not nominating police officials in the FIR would damage the party’s image. While in opposition, the Congress had been demanding FIR against cops who allegedly fired at the protesters in Behbal Kalan.
In accordance with the recommendations of the Justice Ranjit Singh panel, the role of five other police officers, including inspector Harpal Singh, the then SHO of Ladhowal, and constables Shamsher Singh, Harpreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Parminder Singh, all gunmen of Charanjit Sharma, will also be investigated, said an official spokesperson.
Even as the commission recommended registration of an FIR against police officials in the Kotkpura firing incident that also took place on October 14, 2015, the police registered the case of attempt to murder against unidentified cops on Wednesday.