Farmers' protest: High Court petition seeks judicial inquiry into youth’s death at Khanauri border

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, February 22

In the aftermath of the incident at Khanauri border where a youngster lost his life during the ongoing farmers’ protests, a petition was filed today before the Punjab and Haryana High Court urging a judicial inquiry into what is being described as a “homicide.” The application proposes that the inquiry be conducted by a retired judge, with assistance from the State Director-General of Police.

In his application, Harinder Pal Singh Ishar also sought inquiry into the “violent acts by the police/para-military forces”. Directions were also sought for placing on record “the complete data of the tear gas shells, pellet guns and rubber/real bullets used by the police/para-military forces to enable the high court to ascertain whether the force used by the police/para-military forces on their own countrymen is reasonable or indiscriminate and inhuman”

Ishar also sought directions for taking strict legal action against the guilty officials. Among other things, he submitted: “It is highly surprising that the governments, which ensure minimum selling price on liquor are reluctant on giving minimum support price on agriculture produce”.

Referring to the incident, he submitted Shubhkarn Singh, a brother of three sisters, was shot from the Haryana side on Wednesday. According to the protestors, Haryana police/para-military resorted to “heavy shelling of tear gas”. They opened fire on the protestors by taking shelter in the smoke, following which Shubhkarn Singh died.

“It is very unfortunate that the police often refuse to investigate the cases on ground of jurisdiction. Yet the Haryana police/ para military forces have unleashed the terror on the protestors that too after entering the jurisdiction of Punjab,” he added. The application is yet to come up for hearing.