Akali Sarpanch Dalbir murder case: SAD holds protest outside Batala SSP office

Seeking action against accused in the Akali leader Dalbir Singh Dhilwan murder case, a large number of SAD activists led by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday held a four-hour long demonstration outside Batala SSP's office. Heavy police force was deployed outside the office of Batala senior superintendent of police to thwart any untoward incident.

Even after three weeks, the Punjab police has failed to arrest the main accused in the case, Badal said on the occasion. He also demanded a CBI inquiry into the murder case for which he said his party would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Slain leader Dhilwan's son Attinderpal Singh also demanded a CBI inquiry into his father's murder, saying the local police were acting under pressure and a fair probe would be possible only by an independent agency. Badal and Attinderpal also questioned the working of the police, which has not been able to arrest the main accused in the case so far.

Former Akali sarpanch (village head) Dalbir Singh Dhilwan, 51, was allegedly shot dead by his neighbour Balwinder Singh and his two sons Major Singh and Mandeep Singh at his native village Dhilwan in Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district on November 18. The accused had pumped six bullets into Dalbir, while having a walk along with his son Sandeep Singh on the village outskirts.

Later, his legs were chopped off with a sharp-edged weapon. Dalbir was a two-time village head and also the vice president of Batala unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had earlier written to the National Human Right Commission (NHRC), alleging that Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was behind the murder. Former minister Bikram Singh Majithia has linked the murder with gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpura, alleging that the latter acted at the behest of Randhawa, who has since denied the allegations.

A case of murder (under section 302 of IPC) and the Arms Act (under sections 25, 54 and 59) was registered against the seven accused, Dalbir's three neighbours and four others, in this regard. PTI SUN RAX

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