Sikh activist shot dead near Behbal Kalan, kin say won’t cremate him

Bathinda: A day after a Sikh activist was murdered in village of Faridkot district, his family on Thursday refused to cremate the body and demanded the arrest of his killers.
Gurpreet Singh (32) was shot dead in Hari Nau village on Wednesday evening. The crime could trigger political unrest in the district as locals are just five days away from observing the ninth anniversary of 2015 Behbal Kalan killings.Gurpreet’s village is 12km from Behbal Kalan.
On Oct 15, 2015, two Sikh men were killed in police firing in Behbal Kalan during a protest over the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. The issue has been an emotive one since, with protests being held regularly and the issue gaining traction in polls too. Gurpreet too was associated with these protests. He had also been working for Panthic groups Waris Punjab De and Behbal Insaf Morcha.
His father, Hakam Singh, and local Sikh groups are not sure about the motive of the crime, but they have not ruled out a political conspiracy. Behbal Insaf Morcha convener Sukhraj Singh said the murder was akin to silencing the voice of Gurpreet. “We see a conspiracy and police should investigate the case seriously,” said Sukhraj. Police have formed an SIT led by superintendent of police (SP) Jasmeet Singh to probe the case. It has been learnt that some persons have been rounded up.