Punjab Police register FIR into farmer's death on Haryana border

Chandigarh, Feb 29 (IANS) Punjab Police have registered an FIR into the death of farmer Shubhkaran Singh who died last week on Punjab-Haryana border during a protest, Inspector General of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill said on Thursday.

He said zero FIR lodged following legal advice and the funeral would be held later on Thursday.

He said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore and Subhkaran’s sister to be offered constable job in Punjab Police as per family’s wish.

“We stand by his family and will do everything to support them,” he said.

He died during the farmers' protest at the Khanauri border.

Farmer leaders had said the postmortem and cremation of Shubhkaran (21) would not take place till the Punjab government registered an FIR against Haryana Police.

Victim’s father Charanjit Singh had said until Punjab Police registered a case against Haryana Police officials, they won’t allow the administration to conduct the postmortem. “Money doesn’t matter to us, justice does,” he had added.

In his complaint, Charanjit Singh said on February 21 a bullet fired from the Haryana side hit Shubhkaran, who was walking right ahead of him, in the head.

After the consent of farmer leaders and the family, the postmortem was conducted on Wednesday night.

Official sources told IANS that the case was registered under Sections 302 and 114 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Patran police station in Patiala district.