nihang phoolas other crimes

[s s Jhamka]

IG orders fresh inquiry into 1991 killings of 7 kin

HT Correspondent

Jalandhar, September 20 2004

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5922_10...02000000094.htm

IG Zonal S.K. Sharma has ordered a fresh probe into the reported brutal killing of seven members of a family in Khanpur village near Beas in 1991 by Nihang chief Ajit Singh Poohla and his associates.

IG Sharma said that he had directed the SSP to reopen the case and if there was concrete and clinching evidence against the accused, the same should be produced in a court to prosecute the accused.

Poohla Eviction Committee president Colonel G.S. Sandhu (Retd) said that though an FIR was registered in the case in 1991, the matter had so far been kept under wraps due to Poohla’s influence and his links with top police officials. “After the arrest of Poohla, a number of people are coming forward to complain against him. Poohla was such a terror that none ever dared to open his mouth against him earlier,” Sandhu remarked.

Sandhu claimed that Poohla and his men fired indiscriminately from automatic weapons and also threw hand grenades, killing seven members of a family, including children of Mangal Singh and Bachan Singh, at around 9.45 p.m. on June 1, 1991 in Khanpur village.

Those killed were Bachan Singh (45), his wife Darshan Kaur (35), his daughter Mangaljit Kaur (16), Mangal Singh’s wife Harjinder Kaur (30), his daughters Rajbir Kaur (6) and Gurjant Kaur (8 months), and his son Yadwinder Singh (4).

Only Mangal Singh and Bachan Singh’s son Ranjit Singh survived the massacre. While Mangal was working in Muscat at that time, Ranjit Singh had gone to his fields. All these years, the two survivors were too scared to speak against Poohla and his men, Sandhu said.

Sandhu said that it appeared that Poohla and his men resorted to the killings to take revenge. It was claimed that Joga Singh, a son of Bachan Singh, had joined hands with militants and killed Nihang ‘Bijla’, a close aid of Poohla.