Cops killed in Gurdaspur: Punjab Congress demands thorough, independent probe by MHA

Chandigarh: Punjab Congress on Sunday demanded a thorough and independent probe by the Union ministry of home affairs to uncover the truth behind the killing of two police personnel in Gurdaspur district on Saturday night.Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said this was "an ominous development and must be taken seriously".
Referring to what he described as "a similar incident before the 2016 Pathankot terror attack, when a superintendent of police (SP) was abducted and his vehicle was snatched", Warring pointed out, "This was followed by an immediate terror attack on the Pathankot airbase." He said, "The police must not rush to conclusions based on mere speculation without due enquiries and investigation. The fact the incident took place close to the border demands a thorough and comprehensive probe to get to the bottom of the incident."He said, "Drugs are already being pushed into this part of the country from across the border through drones. If the drones can carry drugs, they can also carry weapons. There is genuine and justified concern among the people after these killings."Randhawa refutes shootout theoryMeanwhile, senior Congress leader and MP from Gurdaspur, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, refuted the police's shootout theory. He said: "The CCTV footage recently made public appears to contradict the police's ‘mutual shootout' theory. According to the visual evidence, both officers were either sitting or asleep at the time of the incident. Most concerning is the claim that a rifle was found placed behind the bed, making it physically impossible for it to have been used in the firing as alleged. This is not merely a discrepancy; it is a fundamental contradiction." The truth must be told, he added.Expressing serious concern over the incident, the leader also demanded an independent investigation by the MHA. The Congress MP said accountability must be fixed at all levels and that the matter should not be handled lightly or influenced by political motives.He added, "The families of the deceased officers deserve justice and the people of Punjab expect transparency. Any attempt to suppress facts or shield those responsible would severely damage public trust in the administration."Ends MSID:: 128677697 413 |