Taking suo motu cognisance of a Tribune news report titled, “Retired Lt Col runs from pillar to post for justice to kin”, the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) on Wednesday issued a notice to Moga SSP and directed him to submit an action taken report.
A copy of the order with The Tribune states that the Commission, comprising Chairperson Justice Sant Parkash, Member Justice Gurbir Singh and Member Jitender Singh Shunty, has called for a report from the Moga police chief, to be submitted a week before the next date of hearing on June 19.
“The Commission has perused the news-item published in leading daily newspaper under the caption, ‘Retired Lt Col runs from pillar to post for justice to kin’ indicating that a retired Colonel has been fighting for the justice for his grandson, Japjee Singh, who was killed in a hit-and-run case in Moga last year. Prima facie, it is the violation of human rights at the hands of police personnel. A copy of the order, along with a copy of the news-item be sent to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Moga, through e-mail and by post for compliance and to the Special DGP, Human Rights, Punjab, Chandigarh, for information,” the PSHRC order stated.
Lt Colonel (retd) Balwinder Singh (78) has been solely fighting for the justice for his 19-year-old grandson Japjee Singh.
The former Army officer, a resident of Basant Avenue in Ludhiana, said his grandson was hit head-on by a rashly driven tractor-trailer on the night intervening July 24 and 25 near Dagru village on the Moga-Ferozepur road.
The deceased was pursuing an internship at Hyatt Hotel in Ludhiana and used to return home every night. Singh said he had no reason to go towards Moga, which was 70 km from hotel, on that night. Burnt paddy straw was also found near the body, raising suspicion that the driver might have tried to eliminate evidence, he claimed.
Japjee suffered fatal injuries as the tyre of the tractor-trailer ran over him. The driver fled the spot along with the vehicle. Japjee was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Singh alleged poor and unprofessional investigation by the Moga police. He said despite the accident occurring at 1.30 am on July 25, police from the Moga Sadar police station reached the spot almost eight hours later, giving the accused ample time to escape and hide the vehicle.
He further alleged that the police failed to procure CCTV footage from toll booths, hotels or dhabas along the highway.
Expressing satisfaction over the development, Col Singh said he hopes that with the intervention of PSHRC, the Moga police will expedite the investigation and trace the culprit responsible for his grandson’s death.
“I have also spoken to Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Moga Amandeep Kaur, who has called me for a meeting on Thursday. The MLA has assured that justice will be delivered in the case,” he added.
