M A I N   N E W S

Harpreet’s death: foetus exhumed
From Varinder Singh and J.S. Gandam

PHAGWARA, May 12 — After keeping mediapersons on tenterhooks for six hours, the local administration today exhumed a female foetus from the Hoshiarpur road cremation ground.

The SDM, Mr Pritam Singh, the DSP, Mr Satinder Singh, and a five-member team of doctors led by Mr Buta Ram Gill, SMO, Civil Hospital, Phagwara, were present during the exhumation which was carried out following orders from the District Magistrate.

The exhumation was done for conducting a DNA test to determine the parentage of the foetus which was found in the Model Town Park here on March 29. The portions of exhumed foetus related mostly to the upper part of body.

Mr Satinder Singh, who is also a member of the special investigation team headed by the IG (Crime), Mr K.K. Attri, disclosed that the remains would be sent for the DNA test to Hyderabad.

The foetus, said to be six months old, was found in Model Town Park by morning strollers. The finding of the foetus had resulted in speculations that it belonged to Harpreet, daughter of SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, who had died under mysterious circumstances on April 21. After the rumours, the SIT had decided to exhume the foetus for its DNA testing to establish whether it belonged to Harpreet or not.

As reporters of various vernacular and other dailies got wind that the DC Kapurthala, has ordered that the foetus be exhumed and the SIT accompanied be a team of doctors was rushing to Phagwara for this purpose, they started converging on the Banga road cremation ground since 9 a.m.

They kept waiting for the SIT and the team of doctors for more than six hours during which they were seen using their mobiles for confirming the scheduled time of visit of the team. They were told by their police contacts that the team could not reach at the place in time due to some technical “mistake” in the orders of the DC, who had not directed the SMO and doctors to accompany the SIT to the cremation ground.