Punjab CM meets slain police officer''s family

Deepkamal Kaur
Tribune News Service
Kapurthala, July 29

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday met the family members of police officer Baljit Singh who died during a terrorist attack at Dina Nagar and paid his last respects to the martyr by laying wreaths on his body.

Badal spent more than half an hour with the family of the martyr, who was cremated here today with full police honours, and assured them that their demands would be considered sympathetically.

Talking to mediapersons at the house of the slain SP (Detective) in Santpura locality here, he said he had a telephonic conversation with Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday and informed him about the situation in the state after the attack.

Asked if the family had raised any demand with him, he said, “There has been no demand from their side. Families of martyrs never raise any demands”. The CM, however, did not make any fresh announcements for the family.

Maninder Singh, son of the martyr, had yesterday sought the post of SP for himself besides jobs of tehsildars for his two sisters. He and his mother Kulwant Kaur had even threatened that they would not perform the last rites of the slain SP unless there is an assurance from the state government on their demands. However, the family later decided to abandon its demand following assurances by the authorities concerned.

On another question about the ill-equipped weaponry like outdated bullets with the state police, Badal said the state government would make it a priority to equip the police with sophisticated weapons with the Centre’s help.

He, however, lauded the efforts of Punjab Police and SWAT team for their bravery in killing the three terrorists.

According to Badal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also lauded the role of Punjab Police in fighting the militants.

Replying to another question about the foreign visit of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Badal said Sukhbir had gone abroad before this incident and he was available to handle the situation.

Commenting on the remarks of former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh that Badal was playing dirty politics, Badal said he is in a habit of criticising the government for nothing.

On the alert sounded by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval over a possible terrorist attack in Punjab, Badal said he was not aware of any such alert and the Punjab DGP could answer about it better.

Meanwhile, the city observed a bandh as a mark of respect to the martyr. (With inputs from PTI)