Thursday,
May 30, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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Water dispute claims 5 lives
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service
Senior police officials examine the site of the incident at Middu
Khera village in Muktsar on Wednesday.
—Photo Kulbir Beera |
Midhu Khera (Muktsar), May 29
Even as the dust raised by the murder of an SAD leader, along with five others in the Bhikhiwind area in Amritsar district on May 19, allegedly at the instance of Congress leaders, is yet to settle down, the murder of two brothers and their one son each (both Youth Akali Dal activists) and another person by firearms in this village, allegedly at the instance of a Congress leader, this morning has again put a question mark on the law and order situation in the state. Sukhdev Singh, his son Jagwinder Singh, brother Gamdur Singh and his son Gurlal Singh were murdered by assailants, seven of whom have been identified, while they were working in their fields. Iqbal Singh, who was an active member of the group of assailants, was also injured in the firing and succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to a hospital. Mr Gurraj Singh, brother of the deceased Gurlal Singh and an eyewitness to the incident, alleged that 12 assailants came in three cars and killed his kin without any provocation. He added that he, along with his sister-in-law, was going towards the fields when he saw the assailants killing his kin with firearms. He said both of them managed to save their lives by hiding in the standing crop of a neighbouring field. He alleged that though he was an eyewitness, the police did not register an FIR on his statement. The police registered an FIR on the statements of two farm assistants, who were working in the field at the time of the incident, to protect the suspects as both farm assistants could easily be pressured by the assailants, having the backing of a Congress leader, he added. So far the police has identified seven assailants — Tej Singh, Narinder Pal Singh Moti, Iqbal Singh, Guri, Nikka, Balraj Singh and Gurpreet Singh. Mr Gurraj Singh alleged that ever since the government changed in Punjab, Tej Singh and some others were harassing people as Tej Singh’s sister’s daughter was married to Harjeet Singh, son of Mr Gurnam Singh Abul Khurana, a former minister who
contested unsuccessfully against a former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, in the last Assembly elections.He alleged that the assailants had sent a message to his brother’s house through their farm assistant that they were going to cut the water course running alongside his field to irrigate their own farm and would teach his brother and others a lesson today. Mr Gurbakhshish Singh Vicky, Sarpanch, alleged that the police was deliberately trying to weaken the case by not registering an FIR on the statement of Mr Gurraj Singh. The four bodies were lying on a cot, covered with a piece of cloth, in the field where the incident took place till late in the afternoon. Mr Tajinder Singh, a senior Akali Dal leader and a confidant of a former Union Minister, Mr Sukhbir Badal, pointed out that villagers allowed policemen to take away the bodies for a post-mortem only after the police agreed to register an FIR on the statement of Mr Gurraj Singh. Mr K.J.S. Pannu, SSP, Muktsar, who reached the spot after getting information about the murders, said preliminary investigation did not point to a political conspiracy. He added that a scuffle took place between both parties over the distribution of water through a common course for irrigation and under sudden provocation weapons were used by both parties. He said the preliminary investigation hinted that Sukhdev Singh and his kin, who were having a 12-bore double barrel gun with a number of cartridges, had fired on the other party first and the bullets might have hit Iqbal Singh, who died while being shifted to a hospital. After Iqbal Singh suffered bullet injuries, the other party opened fire, killing the four. He said an FIR was not registered on the statement of Mr Gurraj Singh as he had claimed that when he, along with his sister-in-law, reached near the field, the assailants had committed the
crime. He added that the FIR was registered on the statement of Gauri, a farm assistant, who was present on the spot when the incident took place and also suffered injuries. He claimed that the case had been solved as the assailants had been identified. However, he added that no arrest had been so far. The Sarpanch pointed out that Iqbal Singh could have been murdered by the assailants who had murdered the others to make a cross case on the deceased in order to save themselves. He said since Iqbal Singh did not have any land near the spot, the police should find out why he came along with the assailants. Mr Parkash Singh Badal visited the spot and kin of those who had been murdered. Mr Gurnam Singh Abul Khurana said the murders took place due to a dispute over the distribution of water through a common course for irrigating land. He added that he had no role to play in the incident. 
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