Mansa Protest: Action Committee accuses police of seizing youth’s body, assaulting leaders
BKU Ugrahan Calls for Police Station Protests
Babushahi Bureau
Mansa (Punjab), October 28: The Action Committee Mansa has accused the police of forcibly taking away the body of a 32-year-old man from Bhame Kalan village as it was being brought to the Mansa protest site, assaulting his family members and committee leaders, and detaining them.
The committee strongly condemned the alleged police action, stating that the young man, identified as Daljit Singh, had died of a suspected drug overdose, according to the committee.
Hardeep Singh Sidhu, media in-charge of the Action Committee, warned that if the detained leaders were not released by 11 am on Wednesday, the committee would intensify its agitation and gherao the Deputy Commissioner’s office, among other possible actions.
He also appealed to people to participate in prayers being held at gurdwaras across Punjab against drug abuse and seeking justice for Parwinder Singh Jhotta.
Meanwhile, the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) Ugrahan has announced protests outside police stations across Punjab to oppose the police action. The protests will be held under the leadership of the union’s state president, Joginder Singh Ugrahan.
Senior union leader Jhanda Singh Jethuka said police repression would not be tolerated and that the organisation would intensify its struggle against the government’s policies.
Bhanna Sidhu, who has been associated with the protest since its beginning, said the agitation would continue until justice was secured.
SSP says post-mortem to be conducted with family’s consent
Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Chaudhary said Daljit Singh’s post-mortem would be conducted after obtaining the family’s consent, following which the body would be cremated by the family and relatives. He also said no one had the right to disturb peace and order in the area.
Meanwhile, organisers of the ongoing protest seeking justice for Parwinder Singh Jhotta have called for a large gathering in Mansa on Wednesday. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Pargat Singh is also scheduled to visit the city, according to the report.