ADGP Ishwar Singh to head SIT to probe killing of Dera follower

KOTKAPURA: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday ordered the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the murder of Dera Sacha Sauda state committee member Mohinderpal Bittu, who is accused in a sacrilege case.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of top police and administrative officials.
The SIT will be headed by ADGP Law & Order Ishwar Singh and will have IG Patiala Range Amardeep Singh Rai, DIG Intelligence Hardial Singh Mann, SSP Patiala Mandeep Singh Sidhu, and AIG Counter Intelligence Kashmir Singh as its members.
The SIT will probe all aspects of the attack on Bittu, will ascertain the conspiracy, if any, in the killing by Nabha prison inmates. It will also investigate the role of the prison staff, an official spokesperson said.
Taking a serious view of the incident, Amarinder Singh has directed the jail minister and ADGP Prisons to take all necessary steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future. Such brazen violation of law and order, and laxity in prison security will not be tolerated, he warned.
On demand of Dera followers for withdrawal of cases against the deceased, the chief minister said the law will take its own course as the final reports of investigations into the cases against Bittu had been submitted in the courts. It was up to the court to take any decision on the way forward, he added.
Immediately after the murder of Bittu in jail, the chief minister had made it clear that the culprits would have to face stringent punishment. Security in the state has been beefed up following the incident and all steps are being taken to check the spread of disinformation and rumour-mongering. The chief minister has ordered the security agencies to take all possible measures to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state.
Bittu (49) was attacked by Gursewak Singh and Maninder Singh, who were in jail in a murder case.