Probe: Cop killed self after youth’s suicide

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, May 21

Preliminary investigation into the suicide by Narinder Singh, incharge of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) staff, in his office here on Sunday, hours after the mysterious disappearance of a 23-year-old youth from lockup, has found that Narinder shot himself after the youth had committed suicide on Saturday.

Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu, SSP, Faridkot, said Narinder had rounded up Jaspal Singh of Punjaban village in Muktsar after getting a complaint that three youths were indulging in illegal activities and were camping at a gurdwara in Ratti Rori village.

However, during custody, the youth allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself. To cover up his death in custody, Narinder disposed of the body on Saturday, the SSP said.

When the family of the deceased approached Narinder on Sunday, he told them that the custody of the youth was already given to an unknown person who had claimed to be his relative.

Not convinced, the family members started building pressure on Narinder to know about his whereabouts. Unable to cope up with the pressure, Narinder shot himself in his office on Sunday.

While the police are searching for the body of the youth, the family members of the deceased staged a protest in front of the SSP office in Faridkot on Tuesday alleging that the youth had died due to police torture. “It is not a suicide but police torture case,” said Gurcharan Singh, uncle of the deceased.

“Narinder is also dead. So until the body of the youth is found, the allegations of torture cannot be verified,” the SSP said, adding, “Investigations are on and we will take legal action against those found guilty.”

A case under Section 306 of the IPC has been registered against Narinder.