Lovepreet Singh Killed In Raid
- Lovepreet Singh sustained two bullet injuries
- Family alleges encounter killing
- Police claim self-defence
- Similar incidents occurred in Punjab historically
- Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti disappeared in 1994
A man in Punjab was killed during a police raid, officials said. The victim, identified as Lovepreet Singh, sustained two bullet injuries to his waist and thigh and later died because of his injuries.
- Two bullet injuries were found on the victim's body.
- The incident occurred recently.
Para 3. The police claim they acted in self-defence, while the family alleges it was an encounter killing. Meanwhile, sources confirmed that similar incidents have occurred in Punjab historically, often involving allegations of extrajudicial killings.
Encounter Killings In Punjab
It is alleged that police typically take a suspected freedom fighter into custody without filing an arrest report, witnesses said. If the suspect dies during interrogation, security forces would deny ever taking the person into custody and instead claim that he was killed during an armed encounter, placing weapons on or near the body to suggest the police acted in self-defence. 'The police have a history of encounter killings in Punjab,' said Satwant Singh Manak, an ex-policeman.
Para. Data from recent reports shows that the largest category of suspects killed was those accused of dacoity, armed gang robbery, accounting for 366 deaths.
Historical Context
Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti, a criminal defence attorney in Punjab, disappeared in May 1994 and is alleged to have been killed by the police, government sources said.
Para. Experts said that the term 'police encounter' was used often in such cases. In contrast, the government stated that Rajinder Pal Singh Gill was killed in a genuine encounter on the night of 26/27 January 1989 and that 'it is incorrect to say that Rajinder Pal Singh Gill was first arrested and then killed'. However, there is strong circumstantial evidence that Mr Gill was in fact deliberately killed by the police.
Human Rights Concerns
The incident has raised human rights concerns, officials said. The relatives of those who were 'disappeared' in the years after the attack feel their cause has been abandoned.
Para.
Thirty years on from the Indian army's raid on the Golden Temple in June 1984, the relatives of those who were 'disappeared' in the years after the attack feel their cause has been abandoned. In contrast, ex-policeman Satwant Singh Manak is now fighting the police in the courts, travelling to court with the relatives of those he says were killed by his colleagues.
Investigation Underway
An investigation into the incident is underway, sources confirmed. The police have launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Lovepreet Singh's death.
Para.
Meanwhile, the family of the victim has appealed for intervention, claiming that the police are trying to cover up the incident. Despite this, the police maintain that they acted in self-defence and that the victim was a suspected criminal.
Para.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice, with many demanding that the police be held accountable for their actions.