Rahul to meet families of youth killed in firing

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will today meet the families of the two youths who were killed in police firing during a protest against a sacrilege incident in the district.

Gandhi, who arrived here by train early this morning, will visit the families of Gurjit Singh and Krishan Singh of Sarawan and Niamiwala village respectively, a Congress leader said.

He will also meet farmers in Bathinda district during his two-day visit.

The two Sikh youth were killed in police firing at Behbal Kalan near Kotkapura when the Sikhs were protesting against the sacrilege incident at Argari village in Faridkot on October 14.

Police drew flak for the firing on the protesters from the opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Later, the government had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident and booked “unknown” police officials under charges of murder and Arms Act.

Hardliners and Sikhs owing allegiance to different organisations have sought punishment for the cops involved in the firing incident.

Punjab recently witnessed tension due to a series of incidents of sacrilege and subsequent protests.

Sikh preachers and hardliners had mulled the idea of setting up a memorial for the two Sikhs killed in police firing at Bargari, the site of incident.

Bargari was the epicentre of the Sikhs’ protests against the incidents of sacrilege of the holy book in the state.

Police have so far arrested over seven people, including two brothers Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh, for their alleged involvement in the acts of sacrilege.

Majority of those arrested for sacrilege were either Sikh priests or employees working in Gurdwaras.

However, all the arrested persons were later released due to lack of evidence against them.

Rahul had earlier visited Punjab in April. He had then visited three grain markets of the state, including Asia’s largest grain market at Khanna.