Premis seek death certificates of Panchkula violence victims

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 20

More than six months after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s conviction in a rape case left Panchkula burning, a petition filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday alleged that death certificates of those killed in police firing had not been issued. It also accused the Haryana Government of remaining a mute spectator.

In their petition, Hardeep Singh Insan and seven others submitted that the height of arbitrariness was evident from the fact that dera followers (Premis) were supplied food and water by respondent agencies till the time the verdict against the Dera chief was announced.

The petitioners said the respondents had enough time to remove dera followers from Panchkula before the pronouncement of the verdict to avoid loss of life and property. But the respondents remained mute spectators and allowed them to wait for the verdict.

As soon as the verdict was announced, the media communicated it to dera followers, the petitioners said, adding some anti-social elements turned violent and destroyed the public property. The police, instead of warning and asking dera followers to leave, opened fire and lathicharged them.

Seeking directions to the state and other respondents against interfering with their right to pray in the Dera Sacha Sauda, the petitioners added they were being prevented from doing so by the police and other government agencies deployed in Sirsa.

The petitioners sought directions for issuance of death certificates for those killed in police firing.

They petitioners said the HC should direct respondents not to register false cases. “It has become a habit of respondents to register false FIRs against everyone who stands for their rights,” they added.