SIT to probe attack on Hisar Sikh family, SHO removed
HISAR: Two days after a Sikh family was allegedly manhandled here by four law students, the police on Saturday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter.
The action came after Sikh bodies demanded a fair probe in the matter as the police had registered two FIRS after cross complaints by the two parties.
Talking to HT, superintendent of police (SP) Shiv Charan said a three-member SIT has been formed under deputy superintendent of police (DSP) law and order, Jitender Singh. They will probe both the FIRS.
“We have also removed civil lines SHO Sandeep Singh,” he added.
In a complaint on Friday, one of the members of the Sikh family alleged that when they were returning from a restaurant, four youths misbehaved with them, hurt their religious sentiments, molested a woman family member and threatened to kill them.
Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case against accused law students Akash and Kuldeep with two others. The identity of the two was yet to be ascertained, police said.
This came after Akash and Kuldeep handed over a complaint to the police against the Sikh family on Thursday night. In their complaint, they had alleged that the family had attacked them with sharp-edged weapons and threatened to kill them.
SHO Sandeep Kumar had earlier said, “A case has been registered against Akash, Kuldeep and two others under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several person in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).”
He added that a case was filed against Tanpreet, Joginder Singh, a woman and another person under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 506 (criminal intimidation) on the complaint of Akash and Kuldeep.
Meanwhile, a video of the incident has surfaced on social media.
SUKHBIR CONDEMNS ATTACK, SEEKS ACTION
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday condemned the attack on the Sikh family and urged Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar to take appropriate action in the matter.
In a statement here, the SAD president said, “It was condemnable that a Sikh family, living in Haryana for 43 years, was termed as outsiders and attacked when they protested against inappropriate and vulgar remarks being made against women.”
He said the four accused were reportedly intoxicated and alleged that they assaulted a member of the Sikh family, tossed his turban and even kicked a seven-month pregnant ‘amritdhari’ woman in the stomach.
He alleged that the four miscreants were rounded up at the restaurant, but by the time the Sikh family reached the Sector 16 police station in Hisar, the accused were let off.
“In a further insult to the aggrieved family, the Hisar police registered a case against their family member under Section 307 of the IPC,” the SAD president said.
He demanded that the false case be withdrawn immediately and a case under Section 295A (hurting religious sentiments) with other appropriate sections be registered against the accused.
SAD Kalanwali legislator Balkor Singh also visited the Sikh family in Hisar on Saturday.
Sikh bodies also met at Gurdwara Singh Sabha here and demanded a fair probe into the matter.
A threemember SIT has been formed under DSP (law and order) Jitender Singh to probe the matter. SHIV CHARAN , Hisar SP