M A I N   N E W S

jamalpur killings
Khanna SSP suspended, 4 dismissed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 29
The Punjab Government today suspended Khanna SSP Harish Kumar Bansal and dismissed four others for their alleged involvement in the Jamalpur killings case.

Two Dalit brothers - Harinder Singh and Jatinder Singh - were allegedly killed by a Khanna police party in Jamalpur on September 27. The police initially projected it as an encounter.

Those dismissed include Machhiwara SHO Manjinder Singh, constable Yadwindra Singh and two Punjab Home Guards volunteers Ajit Singh and Baldev Singh.

The victims, in their early twenties, were wanted in an attempt to murder case.

ADGP (Police Administration) MK Tiwari issued the orders this evening after Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal held a meeting with DGP Sumedh Saini. The orders were issued following a report by IG, Jalandhar, Nirmal Singh Dhillon.

The IG reported that Khanna SSP Harsh Kumar Bansal committed misconduct, dereliction of duty and did not exercise supervisory control. He made an attempt to shield the delinquent policemen who were attempting to portray the incident as an encounter. The DIG Range has been told to conduct a detailed inquiry into the SSP's role.

The IG also reported that inspector Manjinder Singh, SHO (Machhiwara) gave a wrong version of the incident to his superiors and made false entries in the daily diary register.

The case

• Two Dalit brothers were allegedly killed by a police party in Jamalpur on September 27
• Initially, the police projected it as an encounter
• The victims were accused in an attempt to murder case