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Chandigarh, January 31: It was unexpected response to the probe initiated by People’s Commission headed by Justice Markandeya Katju (retd) into the Behbal Kalan police firing and the related incidents with 41 people recording evidence including Sikh preachers Panthpreet Singh and Baba Avtar Singh.
The two main incidents that the People’s Commission is investigating is police firing on peaceful protesters at Behbal Kalan killing two persons and the police lathicahrge earlier that day in the morning at Kotkapura.
People at both the places were protesting against the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari village. It may be mentioned that a Bir of Guru Granth Sahib went missing from village Burj Jawahar Singh Wala on June 1 and some torn pages of the Bir were found scattered later in the streets of Bargari. That missing Bir is still to be traced.
People had staged dharna at Kotkapura blocking main highways and they were sitting peacefully the entire night when the police lathicharged them early morning without any provocation. Later, people gathered at Behbal Kalan near Bargari to block highway as mark of protest. They were fired upon by the police killing two persons on the spot.
The grandfather of Gurjit Singh, one of the victims of police firing, also appeared before the commission.
Beant Singh, who was injured and can’t walk, came to record his evidence. Justice Katju went to his car to hear his version.
Former Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Kewal Singh, who was present during lathicharge at Kotkapura was among those who appeared before the commission.
Several of the eye witnesses submitted their affidavits.
Those who assisted the commission included Dal Khalsa general secretary Kanwarpal Singh, former DGP Shashi Kant and advocates Amar Singh Chahal, H S Cheema and H S Phoolka.
It may be mentioned that the commission was announced by the Sikh organisations to probe the two incidents that rocked Punjab.
