Punjab Police - Lawlessness continues in Amritsar

Описание: Tales of police highhandedness in Punjab have been heard for long but what happened in Amritsar on May 8 is shocking. A murder convict, Bikramjit Singh, who was admitted in the Guru Nanak Dev Hospital for treatment, was abducted allegedly by some policemen and others. His whereabouts are still not known. Cutting across party lines, there have been huge protests by the members of the family and others in Amritsar. Among the leaders who have participated in the protests include Akali leader, Virsa Singh Valtoha, BJP leader, Luxmi Kanta Chawla and Akali Dal (Mann) leader, Simranjit Singh Mann.

Bikramjit and four others were convicted for the murder of an Akali leader, Gurdial Singh and some others in 2002. While undergoing imprisonment, he had been admitted for treatment in the hospital. Bikranjit's brother says that when he and his friends went to give him food in the hospital, they saw him being beaten up and taken away by some people in a vehicle. Though they could not prevent Bikramjit being taken away, they caught two persons who turned out to be policemen. An ASI, Gulshanbir, had surrendered later. The three said that Bikramjit had escaped, which is being denied by his family. They suspect that he had been done to death by the police in connivance with the family of the persons he had killed in 2002. A police inspector, Naurang Singh, is being accused of masterminding the whole kidnapping. Reports indicate that he had a tainted past. He is reportedly underground.

Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the matter. SIT or no SIT, the case is simple. Who were the people guarding Bikramjit in hospital? Have they been arrested? They should be asked to explain how this has happened? How can Police Inspector Naurang Singh be underground? Bikramjit's family has moved the High Court where the case is coming up for hearing on May 19. One hopes that if Bikramjit's whereabouts are not known by that date, the High Court should order registration of a case against the senior officers of the force who are dragging their feet. The Deputy CM, Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the Home Minister, too should be summoned. This kind of lawlessness can't go on.