Punjab: Longowal SHO sent to lines for ‘torturing’ farmer in custody

Punjab Police on Thursday transferred station house officer (SHO) of the Longowal police station for allegedly torturing a 35-year-old farmer in police custody

Sangrur :Punjab Police on Thursday transferred station house officer (SHO) of the Longowal police station for allegedly torturing a 35-year-old farmer in police custody.

Baljinder Singh, a farmer who was arrested by the police in Longowal.

Sub-inspector (SI) Gagandeep Singh has been shifted to police lines and a departmental inquiry has also been initiated against him, said officials familiar with the matter.

“We have received complaints against the Longowal SHO. We have verified the complaint and ordered his transfer, besides initiating a departmental inquiry against him,” said ADGP MS Chhina.

On Tuesday, police had booked 53 farmers and arrested Baljinder Singh, 35, of Longowal and Amar Singh, 55, of Qila Bharian village for attempt to murder a day after clashes erupted between protesters and cops, in which a 70-year-old farmer, Pritam Singh, a resident of Mander Kalan village, died after being run over by a trailer during the violence.

The clash erupted on Monday when cops tried to stop farmers from moving ahead to block a road and a toll plaza near Badbar village on the Sangrur-Barnala highway.

Allegations of torture came to the fore when Baljinder and Amar came out of jail and met union leaders.

Leaders of the BKU (Ekta - Azad) raised the matter with police and administration and a meeting between farmers and police department was again called on Thursday, which was attended by ADGP MS Chhina, IG intelligence Jaskaran Singh, AIG intelligence Alam Vijay, SSP Sangrur Surendra Lamba and Sangrur DC Jitendra Jorwal.

During the meeting, Baljinder alleged that the SHO rounded him up a day before registering a case. “They (cops) covered our faces and took us to the Cheema police station, where the SHO thrashed me,” Baljinder alleged.

State president of the BKU (Ekta - Azad) Jaswinder Longowal said: “We showed injuries marks on Baljinder’s body to senior police officials during the meeting and they ordered action against the SHO.”

The police on Wednesday announced to withdraw the murder bid case registered against farmers and also release of two arrested farmers.

IG (intelligence) Jaskaran Singh said: “350 farmer leaders were taken in preventive custody and all have been released now.”

Farmer’s death: Rights panel seeks report from SSP

The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has taken a suo-motu cognisance of the death of 70-year-old farmer Pritam Singh, a resident of Mander Kalan village, during the Monday violence.

Commission chairperson jusitce Sant Parkash and member justice Nirmaljit Kaur have sought a report from the Sangrur senior superintendent of police on or before the next date of hearing on October 23.

On Thursday, the Sangrur administration handed over a cheque for ₹10 lakh the kin of the 70-year-old farmer.

Meanwhile the farmers ended their protest late on Thursday evening after the police released all detained and arrested farmers.