Punjab and Haryana HC summons Punjab DGP in connection with Gurdaspur encounter

PTC News Desk: The Punjab and Haryana High Court had summoned the Punjab Police Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav in connection with the Gurdaspur encounter involving Ranjit Singh and directed him to appear before it at 2 pm and present his response.

The hearing will take place virtually.

The family of the accused has raised questions over the encounter, and the last rites of the youth have not yet been performed yet.

According to information, the case has been listed for hearing at 2 pm today. During the same time, the hearing in the jail interview case of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi will also take place. 

The incident unfolded on February 22 after two policement were shot dead at a police check post in Adiyan village near the India-Pakistan border in Gurdaspur. The deceased were identified as ASI Gurnam Singh and Home Guard constable Ashok Kumar. 

According to police, the attack was allegedly carried out at the behest of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence.

Police said three youths had been lured with about ₹20,000 to carry out the attack. The main accused, 19-year-old Ranjit Singh from Adiyan village, was killed in a police encounter on February 25 in the Puranashala area. Police claimed he tried to escape from custody and opened fire, after which the police retaliated.

Police arrested the second accused, Dilawar Singh, while the third accused, Inderjit Singh, was later apprehended from Amritsar. However, the incident has sparked controversy, with Ranjit Singh’s family alleging that it was a fake encounter.

The family has further claimed that the police picked him up from his home and later killed him. The family also alleged that CCTV cameras in the area were removed and demanded a proper post-mortem examination.