Mansa: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday modified its order of a day earlier and permitted the family of 35-year-old Daljit Singh to perform his last rites at Bhamme Kalan, his native village in Mansa district, instead of at the Sector 25 cremation ground in Chandigarh, Mirror Now reported. The cremation is to take place on Thursday, strictly in the presence of immediate family members.

Source: Mirror Now

The change came on a fresh application moved by Daljit Singh's mother and wife, who told the court that Tuesday's order restricting the cremation to Chandigarh had been passed without making them parties to the case, both Mirror Now and Jugti reported. Punjab government counsel Chanchal Singla confirmed that the court allowed the venue to be shifted on their application.

Source: Jugti

On Tuesday, Justice Sanjay Vashisth had ordered a fresh post-mortem at PGIMER, Chandigarh, and cremation at Sector 25, holding that a dignified cremation is a right that deserves to be respected even after a person's death, after noting two conflicting versions of the death on record. Read: High Court orders fresh PGIMER post-mortem in Daljit Singh case

That fresh examination was completed on Wednesday. Jugti reported that after verification by Mansa police, a team of doctors conducted the autopsy at PGIMER's Advanced Autopsy Centre between 11.30 am and 1.40 pm, and that Sardulgarh Deputy Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Sarahan said further legal action would depend on the autopsy findings. A first post-mortem had earlier been conducted at AIIMS, Bathinda, on October 28.

Two versions of a death

Daljit Singh's sister Amarjeet Kaur, 38, had petitioned the court seeking a CBI investigation, protection for the family from local police and an independent post-mortem at PGIMER. The family alleges that he died of a drug overdose. The state, in turn, told the court that the first post-mortem showed assault injuries — the AIIMS Bathinda report of October 28 recorded eight injuries, including contusions and abrasions, according to LiveLaw — and police have registered a murder case alleging that he was beaten by an acquaintance before his body was recovered from a field near Ramananda village. The cause of death has not been established, and both versions remain allegations before the court.

Source: LiveLaw

The court repeated that the mortal remains cannot be used by any party in a way that undermines dignity or disturbs public peace. No political party, politician or outside organisation may take part in or interfere with the last rites, and the police chiefs of Punjab and Chandigarh have been directed to provide security and prevent any disturbance during the transfer of the body and the cremation, both outlets reported. Mirror Now reported that a detailed written order is still pending.

What happens next: the cremation is scheduled for Thursday at Bhamme Kalan under the modified order, and the case is listed before the High Court on November 5, when the fresh PGIMER findings are expected to shape the next legal steps.