Another Witness in 2015 Behbal Kalan Police Firing Case Dies Before Ruling

One of the prime witnesses in the Behbal Kalan police firing incident from 2015 has died. This is the second witness in this case that has died over the past seven years and other witnesses feel this will weaken their case against the opposition. The case has been scheduled to be taken to a logical conclusion by the end of this month.

Members of various Sikh organizations who have been sitting on a protest dharna at Behbal Kalan have lost another witness in the police firing case. Haqam Singh ‘Fauji’, who is said to be one of the prime witnesses from the incident, died on Sunday. He is the second witness who has died while the case has been underway since 2015 as the first witness, Surjit Singh, died in January 2020.

Sukhraj Singh, son of one of the victims of the police firing case said, “In the last seven years, since the occurrence of the police firing incidents at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan in October 2015, the prosecution case is getting weak with each passing day. While the trial in the court in these cases is yet to begin, the death of two witnesses will weaken the case against culprits.”

He also stated that Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had promised to complete the investigation into this case by February 28. “We are hopeful that the state government will fulfill its promise,” he added. The protestors reiterated that they will intensify their agitation by blocking all roads between Bathinda-Amritsar in their area on March 1.

The police reportedly said that there are 23 witnesses in this case and that the death of one witness did not weaken the case for the prosecution.

Surjit Singh’s family, after his death, accused two Congress leaders of “misusing” their powers to conduct a raid at their house and slap a power theft case and Rs 55,000 fine on them because Surjit did not back down.

In October of 2015, police had opened fire at people protesting against the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot’s Bargari village. Two Sikh protesters — Krishan Bhagwan Singh of Niamiwala village in Faridkot district and Gurjeet Singh of Sarawan village — were killed in the firing at Behbal Kalan.

Vineet Washington