Goldy’s family alleged that he died in police custody. (Representational)A 20-year-old youth reportedly died in police custody at Issru village in Punjab after he was detained for allegedly eloping with a girl. An FIR has been registered against 10 persons, including four policemen, in connection with the case.
The incident came to light when Gurwinder Singh alias Goldy’s body was recovered from a field near a police post in Issru. Family members of the deceased alleged that he was beaten to death by Khanna police at the behest of the girl’s family.
“All the claims of the family will be probed. We have booked 10 persons, including four policemen, and have registered an FIR for murder. A probe is underway, ” Khanna SSP Gursharandeep Singh said.
According to the deceased’s family, Goldy loved a girl from the same village and eloped with her on May 5. The couple was traced by the cops the following day and the girl was handed over to her family.
Police, however, did not release Goldy. His brother, Gurjit Singh, alleged that police had demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 to release him.
After Goldy’s body was recovered, his family blocked the Khanna-Malerkotla road for nearly four hours and raised slogans against the police. They withdrew the protest after an FIR was filed against four policemen and six members belonging to the girl’s family. The FIR was filed under sections 302 (murder), 148 (rioting) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at Khanna Sadar Police Station.
The fours cops, who were booked for murder, were Issru police post in-charge and Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Karamjit Singh, ASI Harbhajan Singh, head constable Jaswant Singh and a home guard jawan Avatar Singh.
