Mansa: Activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) staged demonstrations outside police stations across Punjab on Wednesday, demanding that Mansa police immediately hand over the body of 35-year-old Daljit Singh to his family. The union had called the protests from 11:30 am to 4 pm; The Tribune reported demonstrations at 48 locations, while Hindustan Times and Mirror Now reported protests in 13 districts.
Source: Jugti (citing The Tribune, Hindustan Times, The New Indian Express and NDTV)
Mirror Now reported that the demonstrations, led by the union's state secretary Shingara Singh Mann, saw activists gather outside police stations across the state and were scheduled to continue into the late afternoon. BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) is one of Punjab's largest farmer organisations.
Source: Mirror Now
Daljit Singh, a farmer from Bhamme Kalan village in Mansa district, was found dead near Ramanandi village on Tuesday morning. His family and supporters were taking his body to the ongoing Jhota protest at Tinkoni in Mansa when police took custody of the casket on Tuesday evening and moved it to AIIMS Bathinda, The New Indian Express reported, according to Jugti. Senior union leader Jhanda Singh Jethuke said in a video message that the body must be handed to the family without delay, saying it is the family's prerogative to decide how and when to cremate him, and urged members to join the protests and send a contingent to Mansa.
Family and police give conflicting accounts
Daljit Singh's family says he died of a drug overdose and wants action against alleged drug suppliers. His wife, Paramjit Kaur, told Hindustan Times her husband had been addicted for years, and alleged — as an allegation — that police were pressuring the family to agree to a post-mortem and cremation and were presenting the case as murder to hide how easily drugs are available, Jugti and Mirror Now reported.
Police say the case is a murder. According to The New Indian Express, two FIRs have been registered — one for murder and one for attempt to murder over an alleged attack on a police team — and three people from Ramanandi village have been arrested on the statement of Daljit Singh's father. Mansa's SSP said police would not perform the last rites and would act only with the family's consent, NDTV reported, according to Jugti. The cause of death has not been officially confirmed; the post-mortem report is awaited.
Channi joins Tinkoni morcha as standoff widens
The Jhota morcha, held by the family and supporters of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, alias Jhota, who was shot dead on October 13, has entered its third week, with heavy police deployment reported on roads leading to Tinkoni. Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi joined protesters at Tinkoni on Wednesday and condemned the seizure of the body, Jugti and Mirror Now reported. According to Jugti, Congress leaders Sachin Pilot and Raja Brar and Akali MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal have also criticised the government, while acting Akal Takht jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj called for special ardas at gurdwaras across the state.
The union says the family alone should decide the last rites. What happens next depends on whether the body is handed over to the family and on the awaited post-mortem findings in the Daljit Singh case.