The then Akali authorities, led by Surjit Singh Barnala, established an investigation committee underneath retired Justice Gurnam Singh to search out out whether or not police termination was unfair. The committee concluded that a number of law enforcement officials used extreme power to regulate conditions the place improvement could possibly be averted.
The report was submitted in October 1986, however went lacking for over a decade simply to resurface in 2001, when it was revealed in Vidhan Sabha. Nevertheless, the findings have been revealed, but when they have been made in a report, the motion has not but been revealed.
The report says
February 2, 1986, 5 saroops (Kind) Destroyed within the hearth of Guru Grant Sahib’s second Granth Arjun Dev Gurdwara. 55 pages of report – its copies have been digitized by the Punjab Digital Library and are within the public area. The saloop was saved in a small room adjoining to the principle corridor of Gurdwara and the precise reason behind the fireplace was unknown, however this was thought of a deliberate try to sink the sahib of Gurdwara.
The incident burned the fad of the neighborhood, after which AISSF, a radical group of Sikh college students, launched a protest calling for the arrest of Ramesh Chopra, president of Nakodal Shiv Sena. AISSF marched within the metropolis on February third, damaging public property.
On the identical evening, Shivsena’s Punjab president, Shama Kant Jarota, carried out a countermarch with property that get together pants would harm. Other than the FIRs registered within the hearth incident, two separate FIRs have been registered towards the 2 protesters. A curfew was imposed on Nakodal.
The following day, many AISSF members gathered outdoors Nakodal, resulting in Jaradal. Opposite to the curfew orders, the gang started marching into town. Police and residents on obligation claimed that the gang grew to become violent, engaged in shootings and compelled them to fireplace, based on the report. 4 younger folks – Rabinder Singh Litran, Boldir Singh Ramgarh, Zilmal Singh Grusiana and Herminder Singh have been killed. Their our bodies have been cremated by the police somewhat than handed over to their households.
Nevertheless, the report concluded that the gang assembled was “agitated however peaceable” and solely needed to enter Nakodal to see the burnt Saroop, with out aspiring to do something hurt. “If the police had not used their power on the gang that day, it will not have led to main authorized and order points. Using power was unfair and avoidable,” it mentioned.
4 protesters mentioned they have been shot from close by and eight others have been injured. In the meantime, police added that they solely suffered minor accidents.
The report famous that police and civil administration didn’t assess the gravity of the outbreak and did nothing to alleviate anger amongst Sikhs. It added that the potential for sabotage can’t be put apart as an “accident” as police argued. Police have already registered an FIR and mentioned the incident ought to be totally investigated.
Other than half 1 of the report, which seems within the 55-page and one other 4-page appendix, it consists of half 2, which comprises the file containing the proof and paperwork contained within the contents of half 1, which isn’t accessible within the public area, and which comprises the information mentioned by the Committee.
The political agenda behind the motion?
On Tuesday, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema mentioned a replica of the report on the “tragic incidents of 1986” is accessible in Vidhan Sabha. “Nevertheless, the half that was led by motion mysteriously disappeared,” he urged audio system to type a committee to search out this vital report throughout the dialogue on Punjab’s crime prevention towards the 2025 Spiritual Bible Biblical Invoice.
When Sukhjinder Singh Khaira headed out to Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, the place the training minister of the Barnala authorities, Cheema mentioned that the lacking a part of the report confirmed the reality behind the 1986 incident, at the moment, he may perceive the actions of the folks concerned and see the fact of the “indifferent” conduct.
Kaila responded that your complete motion will not be about getting justice, however about spreading falsehood, resulting in intense exchanges. Chyma mentioned Kaira’s father opposed the development of a memorial gate outdoors the village of one of many victims. Khaira dared the Chima to have an open argument, claiming that the memorial gate had been formally constructed.
The speaker stepped in and requested Kaira to not disrupt the Home minutes the place he needed to take motion towards him. The chief of opposition Paltap Singh Bajiwa rose to his toes, saying that Cheema had grow to be “private” within the dialogue.
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It isn’t the primary time
It’s the first time in seven years that this concern has emerged within the Punjab Parliament. In February 2019, when Congress was in energy, the Aam Aadmi Occasion (AAP) demanded that the report be revealed. On the anniversary of the dying of one of many victims of Litran Village Sandwan, the AAP MLA later mentioned the difficulty can be raised in Congress.
Then AAP MP HSPHOOLKA requested that the report be revealed. The speaker on the time, Rana Kanwar Pal Singh, revealed in Vidhan Sabha in March 2001, mentioned it was a public doc that anybody can entry.
Nevertheless, the speaker added that the federal government has not submitted a report (ATR) led by motion. Phoolka responded that even when the report was submitted, the truth that it was not accompanied by an ATR can be a doc that was not authorized.
In August 2018, one other AAP MLA, Kanwar Sandhu, highlighted the homicide of Nakodal throughout a Home debate. Sandhu later wrote to then Prime Minister Amarinder Singh, calling for motion on the outcomes of the Particular Investigation Crew (SIT) constitutional and report investigations.
Former journalist Sandhu mentioned in March 1987 he was capable of entry the report by means of sources. Relating to the Tribune’s subsequent report, the committee mentioned it had convicted a number of senior authorities officers and law enforcement officials for the killing. The officer in query added that he continued to occupy the federal government’s senior place.
“It is all a distraction.”
Ravinder’s father, Baldev Singh, is the one surviving household among the many family members of these killed within the capturing. In a press release Wednesday, Bardev mentioned the federal government has not achieved any substantive measures to “distract” the difficulty and guarantee justice for affected households.
The problem was talked about rather a lot by Sandwan and Cheema after they have been opposed MLAs, he mentioned. “Nevertheless, throughout the three years in energy, the AAP authorities has achieved nothing to get justice to us. We have now written seven letters to CM Bhagwant Mann, all of which have been despatched to Cheema and Sandhwan.”
Baldev added that his request to Speaker Sandhwan led to the disposal of petitions within the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courts in an effort to shield the perpetrators of the murders, which was misinterpreted by the workplace of the supporter common.
In 2019, the distraught man filed a lawsuit with HC looking for registration of a homicide case towards then-district Justice of the Peace (DM) Darborough Single. Then, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohd Izhar Alam, Sp (Operations) Ashwani Kumar Sharma. In October 2023, the federal government advised HC {that a} seat was set as much as examine Nakodal’s homicide.
If the AAP authorities was actually dedicated to giving justice, Baldev mentioned time-bound investigations ought to be promoted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to achieve the underside of how the 4 younger folks have been killed and among the reviews went lacking. “We’ll name the law enforcement officials liable for these atrocities and arrest them. If there is not any accountability, there is not any closure.”
Following Baldev’s assertion, Khaira mentioned Cheema and Sandhwa have been explaining the difficulty.
Ravinder Singh, the daddy of Baldev Singh, Nakodar’s launch sufferer in 1986, got here into the general public area in charge the speaker @speakersandhwan &fm @harpalchemamla “3. To dam his efforts to place the perpetrator on trial over the course of 5 years @aamaadmiparty Guidelines: I dare to spur these fakes… pic.twitter.com/fsksbb5u4t
-Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@sukhpalkhaira) July 17, 2025
Extremists search revenge
The Nakodal episode is claimed to have been a terrorist module run by Pakistan-based gang-turned-Harvinder Singh Linda, who has carried out a low-strength explosion in a residential dwelling in Chandigarh’s sector 10. Police mentioned retired SSP Jaskirat Singh Chahal, who lived in the home till 2023, was the goal.
The previous few years. Chahar lived on the primary flooring as a tenant till 2023, alongside together with his household, as a tenant earlier than shifting to Jalandhar. The retired officer has been on the Sikh militant hit record since 1986 when he was a constituency officer at Nakodar Station when he was fired. The unconventional Sikh outfit claims that three protesters have been killed on the spot, one survived the preliminary hearth, however Chahar claims he killed him a day later.
Chahar had safety covers till October 2017 when the Punjab authorities retracted his safety. He challenged the HC’s orders on the bottom that he was an embellished police officer. He mentioned he received a police medal in Gallantry in November 1987 after arresting extremist Gurminder Singh alias Natti. Chahar, who relates the narrative of Nakodal’s homicide, advised the court docket in February 1986 that he performed a key position in stopping joint riots in Nakodal.
Nevertheless, in 2022, HC supported the federal government’s resolution on the bottom that it couldn’t assert private safety protection as a matter of permanence rights. The police intelligence reporting company additionally reported that the petitioner’s life was in no hazard, he added.
(edited by Tony Rye)
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