Patiala, May 7
The body of former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh’s gunman was fished out of the Narwana Branch Canal dowstream of Gandakheri village in the district this afternoon. A team of doctors conducted a post-mortem examination late this evening even as grieving relatives accused the Congress politician of being responsible for the death of the gunman and demanded justice in the matter.

The body of the gunman, Nawab Singh, was taken out downstream of Gandakheri after it was spotted by police personnel this afternoon. More than 50 police personnel had earlier been put on duty along side the canal after Nawab’s scooter was found close to the canal at Nabipur village near Sirhind two days back.

The victim’s father, Rajwant Singh, while talking to TNS at Government Rajindra Hospital, said his son had become a nervous wreck after the former Deputy Speaker berated him on the phone on February 18 when he took two hours’ leave to participate in the birthday celebrations of his son at Tripri in the city. Rajwant Singh said Nawab got very upset and tense after the phone call and even told his wife, Gurvinder Kaur, that he was feeling low because he had been humiliated by the Congress politician. Rajwant said a case should be registered against the MLA for abetting the suicide and said he had already made this request to senior police officials who had promised justice to the family.

Nawab’s father-in-law, Mahinder Singh, when questioned, said the suicide note found in the boot of the scooter was in the possession of the Fatehgarh Sahib Senior Superintendent of Police. He said the suicide note was addressed to Nawab’s wife and began with the words, “Mainu maaf karna. Bacchanan da khyaal rakhna. Is (Bir Devinder) ton badla jaroor laina”. Mahinder Singh said even when Nawab was on leave he had told him that the Congress politician had made it difficult for him to live any longer.

The gunman’s wife said all she knew was that her husband’s life took a turn for the worse after the former Deputy Speaker’s phone call. “He was clear that he would not go back on duty with Bir Devinder”, she added.

Mr Bir Devinder, when questioned about the issue today, said he had not said anything to the gunman which could have humiliated him in any way. He said if he had been angry with the gunman he could have replaced him the next day. “Why should I wait for two months to replace him”, he said, adding that no one could have forced him to report for duty with him. He urged that the suicide note be examined properly.