Family wants ‘martyr’ status for slain Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri

Amritsar, November 5

Family members and supporters of slain Shiv Sena (Taksali) chief Sudhir Suri have demanded the martyr status for him.

They agreed to perform his last rites after the district administration gave them an assurance regarding their demands, including providing security to the family. Earlier, they had refused to cremate the body until the government granted him the status of a martyr.

Reminder of dark era of 1980s: AMARINDER

• Senior BJP leader and former CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday warned against return of the dark era of the 1980s in Punjab
• He said the way things were unfolding in the state reminded one of those days (1980s) and it was quite worrisome
• He also condemned the ‘complete failure’ on the part of the AAP government in the state for not taking any action even after 24 hours of murder of the Shiv Sena leader Sudhir Suri

After meeting the family, DC Harpreet Singh Sudan, along with Police Commissioner Arun Pal Singh, said granting the martyr status was the prerogative of the Centre.“We will forward the memorandum in this regard to the government,” said the DC. He also assured the family of a government job for a member.

The Police Commissioner said investigations were underway and whoever was found involved in the killing would be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

We will forward the memorandum regarding granting the martyr status to the government as it is the prerogative of the Centre. —Harpreet Singh Sudan, Deputy commissioner, Amritsar

An autopsy was conducted by a four-member medical board of the Government Medical College here. Suri had suffered two bullet injuries in the chest and one in the stomach, while another one brushed his shoulder. The police found five bullet shells from the spot. A licensed pistol of .32 bore with a magazine was seized from the assailant, Sandeep Singh, alias Sunny.

Manik Suri, son of the deceased and complainant in the case, alleged that the family was getting death threats from foreign numbers. The callers were threatening to eliminate the family. The police have registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC and the Arms Act against Sunny.

Meanwhile, SAD president Sukhbir Badal today blamed the AAP government in Punjab for the rising cases of violence and appealed to the CM to spend more time in the state than in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.