September 18, 2014 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
SAS Nagar, Punjab: In a four page written statement submitted before a Punjab Police probe panel, Majha Ex-Servicemen Human Rights Front Chairman Colonel (retd.) G. S. Sandhu said that Punjab Police I.G. Paramraj Umaranangal was involved in fake encounters during 1990s.
Col. Sandhu, on Sept. 17, submitted his statement to a probe panel headed by A.D.G.P Iqbal Singh Sahota at Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar based office of Punjab Police Housing Corporation. He was accompanied by Advocate Tejinder Singh Soodan and Advocate Yadwinder Singh Dhillon.
In his statement Col. Sandhu said that in year 2007 he came to know that a Sikh militant Gurnam Singh Bundala who was allegedly gunned down by the then Ropar DSP Paramraj Umaranangal and his police party in 1994 was still alive. Paramraj Umaranangal,who is now at the rank of IG of Punjab police, has received cash reward and “gallantry” award for killing Gurnam Singh Bundala.
He further stated that a poor family from Gurdaspur district told him that in reality the police had killed their innocent son Sukhpal Singh S/O Jagir Singh (resident of Kala Afgana village), while presenting him as Gurnam Singh Bundala.
He said that DSP Paramraj Singh (as he was then) deliberately hid the identification of Sukhpal Singh, killed him in fake encounter and presented his dead-body as that of Gurnam Singh Bundala to claim head-money.
He alleged that when his organization raised the issue the senior police officers tried to snub the issue. But after the case was highlighted by print media in 2007, the then D.G.P. N S Aulakh ordered an inquiry into the fake encounter of Sukhpal Singh.
All efforts to track the progress of the probe through ‘Right to Information’ (RTI) applications went in vain as every-time the police took a plea that the matter was still under investigation by DIG Ropar, Col. Sandhu added.
He also expressed shock that Paramraj Umaranangal was awarded promotions during the pendency of probe and even his name was recommended for top-police awards.
A petition seeking CBI probe in this matter still lays pending before Punjab and Haryana High Court.
It is notable that Indian security forces, including Punjab police, were indulged in wide-spread and systematic human rights abuses in 1980s-90s. Enforced disappearances, custodial torture and death, fake encounters were common policing practice during that period.
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Related Topics: Fake Encounters, Punjab Police