Clash in Phagwara: Names of 7 Dalit activists removed from FIR

PHAGWARA: On the day when three separate protests meetings were held in Phagwara in connection with the April 13 clash between the right wing Hindu groups and Dalit activists, the officials announced that names of seven Dalit activists had been removed from one of the two FIRs in which 32 people were named along with those listed as unidentified.
Leaders of different Dalit groups and activists had turned up in good numbers at Guru Ravidass Gurdwara in Chak Hakeem on the national highway. The meeting was announced to chalk out further course of action with regard to their demands that included removing names of those who were not present on the site from the FIRs and removing attempt to murder and other charges leveled on them.

After the leaders addressed the gathering, Phagwara additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Babita Kler said names of seven people had been removed after the inquiry. They had given representations that they were not present at the spot, Kler said. She said some others named in the FIR had mentioned that those seven were not involved in the clash. “That inquiry is still on,” she said.

Meanwhile, Kapurthala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Sharma said attempt to murder and a few other charges had been dropped from FIR No. 78, which was lodged by assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Aramdeep Singh, who was also injured in the clash.

“The medical report confirmed that injuries to him were not grievous in nature therefore attempt-to-murder charge and a couple of other sections were removed,” he said. He also confirmed that seven Dalit names had been removed from the same FIR while the FIR No. 77, pertaining to clash between both the sides, was still being investigated.

“The seven included two injured. It came out during investigation that they were not involved in the clash but were bystanders. It was also found out that five others were not present when the clash took place,” the SSP said. He, however, did not divulge the names of the five.

Meanwhile, the BSP held a protest meeting at a gurdwara in Prem Pura area. Later, the party’s memorandum was received by Kapurthala deputy commissioner (DC) Mohammad Tayyab and SSP Sharma near the gurdwara and the BSP supporters were not allowed to march further.