People’s Commission indicts punjab police for excessive, unprovoked action

CHANDIGARH: People's commission headed by Justice Markandey Katju (retd) to probe Behbal Kalan and Kot Kapura police firing incidents on Punjab, has hold the Punjab police guilty of excessive and unprovoked action against a peaceful congregation.

"This commission, as such, holds, Punjab police guilty of excessive and unprovoked action against a peaceful congregation and of using brutal police force including lathi charge and firing without reason and without the statutory magisterial orders which need to be passed on the spot itself," observed the commission in its report.

The commission released its report on Saturday at Chandigarh in presence of Justice Katju, general secretary of the commission and former Punjab DGP, Shashi Kant and a larger number of human rights lawyers and activists.

Further stating that the police action was totally uncalled for and unjustifiable, commission observed that we are living in democracy and people have right to protest and assemble peacefully without arms as also provided for in article 19 of the constitution.

Report has also mentioned that commissioned was informed that key witnesses are being pressurized by police and some vital evidence related to the incident may be tempered by police.

Former DGP and general secretary of the commission, Shashi Kant said that some senior police officials had contacted him in personal capacity and said that they had orders from higher ups for firing on the protesters.

Justice Katju commission of inquiry was formed by Punjab based human rights organizations to inquire into the incidents of October 14 at village Behbal Kalan and Kot Kapura in Punjab in which two persons were killed and several injured due to police firing and lathi charge.

Referring to the Behbal Kalan incident, the commission has opined that in the police firing of October 14, two persons were killed and unfortunately, the FIR was registered on October 21 and the FIR named unknown persons.

Even the SIT comprising Iqbal Singh Sahota, director bureau of investigations Punjab, Amar Singh Chahal, DIG Ferozepur range and RS Khatra, DIG Bathinda range had visited Fatridkot on October 16 to take stock of the situation regarding firing at Behbal Kalan but no headway appears to have been made in the case. There is no information regarding any progress or case diaries. There is hushed silence from the side of state government.

Commission has claimed that those injured in police firing and lathi charge stated that the police action was unprovoked and sudden. The injured included some women and even children who deposed very vocally.

"Police is reported to have fired on unarmed and peaceful congregation hiding behind the pillars of a brick structure used as bus shelter and also from behind a tractor trolley which was over turned and used as morchas as shield. It was like police was firing at enemy crowd. From the testimony of witnesses it further appears that the police party which fired was led by Charanjit Singh SSP Moga and SHO Baja Khana," stated the report.

In case of Kot kapura incident as well witnesses' deposed hat the police action against the peaceful protesters was sudden and unprovoked.

Commission claimed that the place where people had assembled peacefully and police action was taken, was under electronic surveillance from all sides. Even, control room was located in the nearby police station and CCTV footage of the area can bring the truth.

Commission hopes that the police would not temper with the CCTV footage of the area.

Commission also held that it is still more painful to note that no headway has either been made in the deplorable, painful and shameful incidents of desecration of holy Guru Granth Sahib at several places in month of June 2015.

The complete report of the commission was released by Justice Katju at Chandigarh. Prominent among those present on the occasion were human rights lawyers, Amar Singh Chahal, Navkiran Singh, Tejinder Singh Sudan and Harpal Singh Cheema.