Punjab govt orders magisterial probe into Tarn Taran incident

Taking serious view of the alleged thrashing of a girl by policemen in Punjab's Tarn Taran district, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.

The Chief Minister has directed the Tarn Taran District Magistrate to ascertain the causes and circumstances which led to this incident and submit the inquiry report within three weeks, an official spokesman said.

The 22-year-old girl and her father were allegedly thrashed by policemen when they sought action against some persons who teased the girl and passed vulgar comments in full public view.

Badal termed the incident as an unpardonable offence and said any one connected with this grave crime, howsoever influential he may be, would not be spared and brought to book as per the law of the land.

Meanwhile, the victim talking to reporters at Tarn Taran demanded the dismissal of the two cops, who thrashed her in full public view.

"Stringent punishment must be meted out to the cops," she added.

Punjab Police had last evening placed both cops Davinder Singh and Saraj Singh under suspension and marked a departmental inquiry against them.

The girl in her complaint alleged that last night, while she along with her father was coming home after attending a marriage function a truck driver and his accomplices started to tease her besides passing vulgar comments.

When she and her father approached the nearby police picket, both were beaten up by the policemen on duty, who allegedly let off the accused after accepting bribe, the girl alleged in her complaint.

However, SP Kanwaljit Singh Dhillon had said yesterday that father of the girl, Kashmir Singh was drunk and creating "nuisance" at a marriage function at Gobindwal road last night.

When police personnel reached the spot and caught hold of Kashmir, his daughter resisted, the SSP said.

Kashmir's daughter Harbinder Kaur intervened and resisted while her father was being taken away to police station, the SSP claimed.

In the melee, the turbans (head gears) of two head constables came out following which they beat the girl.