Dhankhar asks West Bengal government to release ‘assaulted’ Sikh man, calls it human rights violation case

Kolkata, October 17

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday asked the state government to immediately release private security officer Balwinder Singh, whose turban came off during his arrest last week, and called it a case of human rights violation.

Dhankhar, who has had frequent run-ins with the administration over various issues since he assumed charge at the Raj Bhavan a year ago, said a delegation of ex-servicemen met him during the day and demanded that cases against Singh, a former Army jawan, be withdrawn.

“A delegation of Ex Servicemen Veterans called on me seeking immediate release, withdrawal of case #BalwinderSingh. Painful case of gross human right abuse and police highhandedness @WBPolice @HomeBengal,” he tweeted.

“Appeal @MamataOfficial to forthwith #Balvindrasingh and withdraw case,” he added.

The governor had met Singh’s wife Karamjit Kaur and their son three days back and urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to “undo the wrong committed”.

He had also met a Sikh delegation from Delhi on October 11 and said that instead of “justifying”, police should go for “rectification” of the act.

Controversy erupted after visuals of the police beating up Singh during the BJP’s ‘Nabanna March’ on October 8 went viral on social media.

A section of the netizens claimed the police had pulled off his turban during the scuffle.

The government, however, maintained his turban came off during the scuffle with the police.

Singh is in the custody of Howrah Police since his arrest. PTI