Throats slit while victims were alive: Autopsy

Tribune News Service

Moga, July 17

The post-mortem examination of five Dalits, including two girls, who were killed by a “granthi”of a gurdwara in a house at Kotla Mehar Singh Wala village in Moga district yesterday, has indicated that their throats were slit while they were alive.

Dr Arvinder Pal Singh Gill, SMO of the district hospital, said a panel of three doctors conducted the post-mortem examination today. He did not confirm that the youths were administered Celphos or any other intoxicant saying the throats were slit while they were alive. “However, we have taken samples of their viscera and handed these over to the police for chemical examination,” he said.

The police were of the view that the five persons could have been administered Celphos or some intoxicant to make them unconscious before slitting their throats. Otherwise, it would not have been possible for an 80-year-old man to slit the throats of five youths, the police said.

The reason behind the murders is yet to be established. A police officer said they would also look into the aspect of sexual relationship among those present there at the time of the incident.

The body of “granthi” Harinder Pal Singh Sodhi has been kept in a mortuary for identification. His antecedents could not be ascertained so far, a senior officer said.

The bodies of Sandip Kaur (20), Raj Pal Kaur (23), Dharminder Singh (18), Akashdeep Singh (15) and Sony Singh (20) were handed over to their family members this afternoon. The cremation was held at Kotla Mehar Singh Wala village in the evening.