Political leaders barred from last rites; Punjab and Chandigarh DGPs told to ensure security
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday ordered a second post-mortem examination of Mansa resident Daljit Singh at the PGIMER, Chandigarh, and directed that his last rites be performed at the Sector 25 cremation ground under police protection.
The directions came on a petition filed by Daljit’s sister Amarjit Kaur, who sought an independent post-mortem, a CBI investigation into his death and protection for the family.
The court directed the authorities to hand over the body to the PGIMER administration within 15 hours. A team of doctors will conduct the fresh examination, and its report is to be placed before the High Court on November 4.
During the hearing, the Punjab government produced the first post-mortem report prepared by AIIMS Bathinda. The High Court reportedly raised questions about injury marks mentioned in the report and sought clarity on whether the injuries had been sustained before or after Daljit’s death.
The second post-mortem was ordered with the consent of the parties to remove doubts surrounding the cause and circumstances of the death.
Following the examination, Daljit will be cremated at the Sector 25 cremation ground in Chandigarh. Only family members and close relatives will be permitted to attend. The court barred political leaders and other outsiders from the cremation proceedings.
The Punjab and Chandigarh Directors General of Police have been directed to coordinate and make the necessary security arrangements for the cremation.
Daljit Singh, a resident of Bhamme Kalan village in Mansa district, was found dead under suspicious circumstances on October 27. His family alleged that he had died because of a drug overdose and wanted to take his body to the continuing protest in Mansa against the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota.
The cause of Daljit’s death, however, has not yet been medically established. Police earlier said it would be determined after receiving the viscera examination report.
A controversy erupted after Punjab Police intercepted the family and protesters while they were taking the body towards Mansa. The family alleged that police used force and took the body into custody against their wishes.
The body was subsequently shifted to AIIMS Bathinda, where the first post-mortem was conducted. While police maintained that the examination was conducted with the consent of Daljit’s father, other members of the family alleged that it had been carried out without their knowledge or approval.
Police also registered a murder case against three persons—Mandeep Singh, Gurvinder Singh and another man named Mandeep Singh—on the basis of a statement attributed to Daljit’s father, Jarnail Singh. The family, however, continued to maintain that Daljit’s death was connected to the easy availability of drugs in the area.
Amarjit Kaur challenged the police action before the High Court and sought custody of the body, an impartial post-mortem at PGIMER and action against the police officials allegedly involved in forcibly taking away the body.