Farmers Protest: Lawyer Moves High Court Seeking Judicial Probe Into Punjab Youth's Death Allegedly On Account Of Violence By Haryana Police

An application has been moved by a lawyer in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking judicial enquiry into death of a 22-year-old youth allegedly by violent means resorted to by the Haryana police/para military during farmers' protest at Khanauri border yesterday.

Advocate Harinder Pal Singh has moved an intervention application in the petition challenging "obstructive actions" of the government to curb the protest in demand of a law guaranteeing MSP.

Pal seeks inquiry by a Retd. High Court Judge assisted by DGP Punjab "into the homicide" of Shubhkarn Singh, a resident of Punjab's Bathinda. It is alleged that Haryana police/para military resorted to heavy shelling of tear gas and by taking shelter of the smoke opened fire on the protestors, in which Shubhkarn Singh died.

The plea also seeks issuance of directions to the Centre and State to place on record the complete data of the tear gas shells, pellet guns and rubber, real bullets used by the police, para-military forces, so as to enable the Court to ascertain "whether the force used by the police/para-military forces on their own countrymen is reasonable or indiscriminate and inhuman."

Pal states that "the Haryana police/ para military forces have unleashed the terror on the protestors that too after entering the jurisdiction of Punjab."

"The silence of the Punjab police and the Administration on rampant violation of the jurisdiction issues is also surprising. Till date no official information has come on record that whether the DGP Punjab or chief secretary Punjab have recorded their objections protest with their counter part with regard to use of excess forces on residents of Punjab and within jurisdiction of Punjab," the plea read.

The matter is listed on February 29, for further consideration.

Title: Uday Pratap Singh v. UOI & ors.

Pradeep Kumar Rapria advocate for the petitioner.