M A I N   N E W S

ASI dies of gunshot wounds
Sanjay Bumbroo & Bhanu P. Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Kurukshetra, May 31
An ASI with the Haryana Police posted at Pipli died under mysterious circumstances at the PGI here today.

Ram Kumar (55), a resident of Kurukshetra, died of gunshot wounds he allegedly received at the Pipli police station, on May 28. He was brought to the PGI in Chandigarh, where he breathed his last today. The post-mortem will be conducted tomorrow to ascertain the cause of death.

While the police maintains that ASI Ram Kumar committed suicide, his family alleges that goons of a liquor contractor whose shop the deceased had raided a few days back had done him to death.

The police has registered a case of attempt to suicide, saying the ASI had been “very disturbed” because of some family problems which propelled him to take the extreme step.The police categorically ruled out any link between the raid and the ASI’s death.

The SP, Kurukshetra, could not be contacted for comment. He did not respond to repeated phone calls. Suresh Kumar, brother of the deceased, said Ram Kumar seized a truck carrying illicit liquor at the godown of the contractor. The enraged contractor manhandled Ram Kumar and tore his uniform in a scuffle.

“The contractor’s men managed to flee after storing the liquor in the godown. Humiliated, Ram Kumar registered a case against the contractor. The in charge of the police station, Shamsher Singh, proceeded on leave immediately after the incident and another SHO was posted in his place. Soonafter, we began receiving threat calls,” he said.

Ram Kumar’s brother-in-law, Subhash, said the family was convinced it was not a case of suicide.“We suspect that Ram Kumar was shot by the contractor’s men at the Pipli police station where he had gone to mark attendance before leaving for Panchkula where he was to appear before a court as a witness in the same case,” he maintained.

Suresh said his younger brother left home at 5 am on May 28. A couple of hours later, they received information that he had been admitted to the Civil Hospital at Pilpli as he had shot himself with his service revolver. He was shifted to the PGI the same day.