Nabha jail murder: Standoff ends, Dera man cremated as government forms SIT

Two days after his murder by two inmates in the Nabha jail, Dera Sacha Sauda follower and Bargari sacrilege accused Mohinder Pal Bittu was cremated in Kotkapura on Monday evening after the state government set up a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the murder.

The last rites of Bittu, a state committee member of the Sirsa-based dera, were performed after hectic parleys ended the stalemate between the sect followers and the district authorities over the killing in the prison. His funeral procession was attended by a large number of dera supporters amid heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces in the town.

Bittu, the prime suspect in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege case, was attacked by two Sikh inmates inside the jail on Saturday and later declared brought dead at the local civil hospital. His body was brought to Kotkapura and kept in ‘Naam Charcha Ghar’ (prayer centre), where a large number of dera followers assembled and decided not to perform the last rites till their demands for withdrawal of all sacrilege cases against the ‘premis ‘ (followers) and a judicial probe were met.

A series of meetings were held between members of the state executive committee of the dera and the district authorities over two days to end the impasse. Faridkot deputy commissioner Kumar Saurabh Raj, who led the talks, told dera followers that the government would set up a high-level committee to probe the murder. However, their demand for dropping sacrilege cases against the sect supporters, including Bittu, has not been met.

“Since these cases are in courts at various stages of legal process, the state government is in no position to intervene. However, it has agreed to approach various designated courts to put sacrilege cases involving the premis (dera followers) on fast track,” he said.

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Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh also promptly announced the SIT headed by additional director general of police (law and order) Ishwar Singh will probe the murder.

It will investigate all aspects and ascertain the conspiracy, besides looking into the role of the prison staff. The other members of the SIT are Patiala inspector general of police Amardeep Rai, deputy inspector general (intelligence) Hardial Mann, Patiala senior superintendent of police Mandeep Singh, and assistant inspector general (counter intelligence) Kashmir Singh.

During the talks with district administration, the dera was represented by its political wing head Ram Singh, Harcharan Singh, Jagjit Singh, Shinder Pal Jatinder Masha and Raj Singh.

Responding to another key demand, the official delegation said a report of “judicial probe” in the killing would be sent to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for further action. “The state authorities are committed to a free and fair investigation in the murder case. Due action will be initiated on the recommendations of the NHRC in the case,” said the deputy commissioner. He also assured to provide adequate security cover to Bittu’s family. The CM, who chaired a high-level meeting of top police and administrative officials in Chandigarh, also directed jails minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and ADGP (prisons) to take all steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Such brazen violation of law and order, and laxity in prison security would not be tolerated, he said.

Reacting to the demand of the dera followers for withdrawal of cases against Bittu, the CM said the law would take its own course as the final reports of investigations into the cases against the dera follower had been submitted in the courts. It was up to the court to take any decision on the way forward, he added.