POOR DALIT MAN DIES AFTER CONSUMING POISON FOLLOWING ALLEGED HUMILIATION OVER DRUG SALE COMPLAINT IN SANGRUR VILLAGE

Naresh Kumar/Sangrur

A Dalit man allegedly died after consuming poison following threats and alleged humiliation by some villagers after he raised the issue of open drug sale before Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema during a public meeting in a village in Sangrur district, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place in Tur Banjara village in the Dirba Assembly constituency.

The deceased, identified as Gulzar Singh, allegedly consumed aluminium phosphide (sulphas) after he was allegedly threatened and humiliated during a village panchayat meeting, police said.

Following the complaint of the deceased’s youngest son, Lakhwinder Singh, the Dirba police have registered a case against five persons, including a woman sarpanch and her husband, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Two accused, including the woman sarpanch and her husband Baljit Singh, have been arrested, while three others are absconding, police said.

According to the complaint, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had visited Tur Banjara village on September 6 to address a public meeting. During the programme, Gulzar Singh allegedly raised the issue of the open sale of drugs, locally referred to as “chitta”, in the village.

He reportedly told the minister that several people in the village had fallen prey to drug addiction and that his own son was also struggling with addiction. He appealed to the minister to take action against drug trafficking in the area.

Lakhwinder Singh alleged in his statement to police that after the minister left the village, the sarpanch and some other persons came to their house and allegedly threatened his father. He further alleged that Gulzar Singh was subsequently called to a village panchayat, where he was allegedly humiliated and insulted.

Unable to bear the alleged humiliation, Gulzar Singh consumed sulphas, his family alleged.

He was initially taken to a hospital in Dirba and was subsequently shifted to hospitals in Sangrur and Patiala before being taken to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana for specialised treatment.

Gulzar Singh died during treatment at around 10 pm on September 7, police said.

Before his death, the deceased allegedly named five persons as responsible in a statement recorded in the presence of his family, according to the complainant.

Police have booked Baljit Singh alias Raj, Sukhdev Singh alias Sukha Conductor, Vicky Singh alias Vicky Member, Gona Singh and Baljinder Kaur under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 3(1)(r) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly using caste-related abusive language, among other allegations.

Police said Baljinder Kaur and her husband Baljit Singh had been arrested, while efforts were underway to apprehend the remaining three accused.

The funeral of Gulzar Singh was conducted on Tuesday under tight police security after administrative intervention, officials said.

Police said the matter was under investigation and asserted that no person found guilty would be spared.