Mobiles of two farmers seized

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 2

Two farmers and eyewitnesses of the police encounter in which a carjacking suspect and Hoshiarpur resident Inderjit Singh was shot dead by the CIA staff of city police near Jandiala Guru toll plaza have got their statements recorded with the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vikas Hira, who was entrusted with the magisterial probe into the case.

Their mobile phones were confiscated by the SDM for evidence. Dilbagh Singh and Pargat Singh were among the farmers holding agitations near the toll plaza in wake of the nationwide protest against three controversial farm laws.

They had recorded the encounter. However, these videos were later deleted by a police official it is believed.

SDM Hira, while talking to The Tribune, confirmed that the two mobile phones were seized. He said further investigations were still underway. Asked about the family members, he said that they were yet to record their statements. “The family had demanded some documents, including autopsy report before recording their statements,” he added.

Maninderpal Singh, brother of the deceased, said the cops, including CIA staff of city police and Jandiala Guru police station, where a case was registered against Inderjit Singh, had not appeared before the SDM even as they were summoned a number of times. “We have urged the SDM to record the statements of the cops also before taking our statements,” he said. He added that an autopsy report of Inderjit Singh, copies of DDR registered by CIA staff of city police and Jandiala Guru police station besides mobile locations of the suspects was demanded. ‘They were yet to get the same,” he revealed.

He said that the family members are thinking of approaching Punjab and Haryana High Court if justice isn’t served.

Inderjit Singh, a Hoshiarpur resident, was gunned down by the police under mysterious circumstances on December 8.