Wife seeks her rights after gangster killed in police encounter

BATHINDA: Slain gangster Prabhdeep Singh's wife Avreen Kaur alias Amandeep Kaur of Kundal village near Abohar, has taken strong exception to the police terming her husband as "gangster". Prabhdeep, along with Manpreet Manna, was killed in an encounter with police at Gulabgarh village on December 15.
Kaur said Prabhdeep had only one case against him of theft and he wanted to surrender before the police but he was killed in the encounter. Fighting for her right to be recognised as Prabhdeep's widow, Amandeep Kaur is making rounds of senior police officials. She is also seeking action against the policemen who did not allow her to see Prabhdeep' body after he was killed on December 15. Though she was not allowed to attend the cremation, she wants to attend his bhog ceremony.

The family of the deceased, however, is allegedly not ready to accept her as Prabhdeep' wife and claim that the marriage was never solemnized. However, Amandeep has photographs of their wedding under Sikh religious rites on November 16, 2015, at Gurdwara Nanaksar Tobha, Abohar and the marriage certificate issued by the gurdwara granthi.

She has decided to move high court if the right to be widow of Prabhdeep is not accorded.

Speaking to media persons at Bathinda on Thursday, Amandeep said, "We were in love and got married in November 2015. Prabhdeep's family knew about our marriage though we were living separately at Chandigarh. I met the Punjab DGP on Tuesday who asked me to meet the Bathinda Zone IG. I met IG M S Chhina on Thursday. I have demanded that Prabhdeep should not be called a gangster by the police as he had only one case against him. I should be allowed, as Prabhdeep's widow, to attend bhog ceremony. The IG gave me a patient hearing and assured justice."

Meanwhile, Prabhdeep's maternal uncle Kulraj Singh said Prabhdeep had not married her and "we do not consider her as daughter-in-law".

When contacted, IG Chhina said, "I advised her to get a legal heir certificate prepared if she wanted any claim as his wife and record her statement with the magistrate conducting the inquiry. The role of policemen who stopped her from getting the body will be probed by the magisterial inquiry. I have assured her that she would get to attend Prabhdeep's bhog".