Arrested Punjab IGP sent to 4-day police remand

A court in Punjab's Faridkot town on Tuesday sent Inspector General (IG) of Police Parampal Singh Umaranangal to four days' police remand.

Umaranangal was produced before the court on Tuesday following his arrest by the Punjab Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) a day earlier.

The IGP was arrested from Chandigarh on Monday in connection with the Behbal Kalan firing in the Faridkot district in October 2015 in which two persons were killed and several others were injured.

The SIT is investigating the reasons behind the firing on Sikh protesters, agitating against sacrilege cases of Guru Granth Sahib, during the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP regime.

Punjab was brought to a standstill in October 2015 with radical Sikhs and others blocking highways and roads for days.

The SIT had last month arrested former Moga Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Charanjit Sharma in Hoshiarpur in connection with the case.

Sharma and three other prime accused in the case were booked for murder and attempt to murder following recommendations by the Justice (Retd.) Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry. Former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was also questioned by the SIT on November 16, 2018.

--IANS

js/prs