Tension continued in Sangrur following the death by suicide of 23-year-old Sanamdeep Singh of Kanoui village, with his family alleging that the post-mortem and cremation were conducted without their presence.
According to the report, the family and Congress leader Rajinder Deepa had been staging a protest outside the mortuary of Sangrur Civil Hospital for six days, demanding justice in the case. Police on Thursday removed the protesters from the site.
The deceased’s mother reportedly appealed to the authorities while the police action was under way. The family alleged that they were not allowed to perform the last rites or have a final viewing of Sanamdeep Singh.
Police subsequently took family members and other protesters into custody at Dhuri police station. The post-mortem was conducted thereafter, and the cremation was carried out at a cremation ground in Sangrur city instead of Kanoui village, with a heavy police presence.
Family Had Been Seeking Action Against Four People
Sanamdeep Singh died by suicide on September 25. His family had alleged that four people, including the village sarpanch, were responsible for his death and had been demanding action against them.
The family began a round-the-clock protest outside the hospital mortuary from September 26, seeking registration of a case. Police registered a case against four people, including the sarpanch, on September 28. However, the family continued the protest, demanding that provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act be added to the case and that the accused be arrested.
On Thursday afternoon, police removed Congress leader Rajinder Deepa, the deceased’s family members and other protesters from outside the mortuary.
Police Version
DSP Sangrur Dalvir Singh Sidhu said the police had registered a case on September 28 against village sarpanch Deep Singh Bawa, his brother Gurinder Singh Goga, former member Harbans Singh and Paramjit Kaur under Section 108(3)(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and that the investigation was continuing.
According to the DSP, the deceased’s family did not end the protest despite repeated efforts by the police to persuade them to do so. He said the authorities had received communications from the Senior Medical Officer regarding deterioration of the body and that the post-mortem and cremation were therefore considered necessary.
Sidhu acknowledged that the post-mortem and cremation were carried out in the absence of the family. He said some villagers were present and that efforts had been made to ensure that the deceased received due respect and that the last rites were completed.
The DSP also said that notices issued by the Chief Medical Officer and the SMO regarding the post-mortem were not accepted by the protesters and that the authorities faced obstruction in carrying out the required procedures.
Rajinder Deepa, Three Relatives Sent to Judicial Custody
Sangrur Police also registered a separate case at City Police Station against Congress leader Rajinder Deepa and three relatives of the deceased.
Police said the four individuals allegedly confronted officers during the post-mortem proceedings, abused police personnel, obstructed them in the discharge of their duties and allegedly attacked the police team.
The accused were identified as Rajinder Deepa of Sunam, Balkar Singh of Dhanaula in Barnala district, Sukhdev Singh of Bhalwan and Lovepreet Singh, also known as Lavdeep Singh, of Mehlan village.
They were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
Meanwhile, eight people, including the deceased’s parents, grandparents and other relatives, were taken into preventive custody in view of the law-and-order situation. According to the report, they had not been released till the time of filing.