Behbal Kalan police firing: Three years on, SIT yet to file a fresh chargesheet
The case dates back to October 14, 2015, when police opened fire at people protesting at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan against a sacrilege incident that had taken place at Bargari in Faridkot district. While two protesters, Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village and Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village in Faridkot district, were killed in Behbal Kalan, several were injured in Kotkapura
Even three years after its reconstitution, the special investigation team (SIT) led by inspector general of police (IGP) Naunihal Singh has failed to conclude its probe into the 2015 Behbal Kalan police firing case and submit a supplementary chargesheet.
The case dates back to October 14, 2015, when police opened fire at people protesting at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan against a sacrilege incident that had taken place at Bargari in Faridkot district. While two protesters, Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village and Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village in Faridkot district, were killed in Behbal Kalan, several were injured in Kotkapura.
After the high court quashed the findings in the Kotkapura case, filed by the SIT member and then IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap, now an AAP MLA, the government formed a new probe team for a fresh investigation led by Naunihal Singh on May 15, 2021. A new three-member SIT headed by ADGP LK Yadav was also formed to probe the Kotkapura firing case.
The previous SIT led by ADGP Prabodh Kumar had filed five chargesheets against seven accused in the Behbal Kalan case. The first chargesheet was filed in April 2019, naming Charanjeet Sharma as the conspirator, while the last supplementary chargesheet, filed in January 2021, named ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini and IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal as ‘masterminds’. One accused inspector Pardeep Singh has turned approver in this case.
In May 2022, Naunihal-led SIT had told the high court that it was facing problems in the probe due to a lack of access to the findings of an inquiry into the Kotkapura firing incident, as both cases are interconnected. But even after getting access, the Behbal Kalan probe is hanging fire.
On the other hand, SIT led by ADGP Yadav filed a chargesheet against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and six police officers, including ex-DGP Saini in the Kotkapura firing case in February 2023. On April 25, Yadav-led SIT filed a supplementary chargesheet paving the way for the trial to start.
Kin to question AAP candidate Karamjit
The kin of Behbal Kalan firing victim, on Tuesday, said that they will question the AAP Faridkot LS candidate Karamjit Anmol for the state government’s ‘failure’ to complete the probe.
Krishan Bhagwan’s son Sukhraj Singh said that it seems the probe has come to a standstill.
“Despite this being used as an issue in the polls to garner votes, the AAP government has failed to complete the investigation. We want probe completed and action against the main culprits in firing cases,” he said.
