Ludhiana youth killing: Badal orders probe

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Monday set up a high-level committee to probe the killing of two youths in police firing in Ludhiana district Saturday.

Badal has asked the committee, comprising Additional Director General of Police, Crime, V.K. Bhawra and State Narcotics Bureau director Ishwar Singh to probe into the entire incident and submit their report within 15 days.

The two youths, both brothers in their 20s, were allegedly killed in a gunfight with police in Jamalpur area of Ludhiana district Saturday morning. Both of them - Harinder Singh and Jatinder Singh - were accused in an earlier attempt to murder case.

The incident took place when police entered a house where the victims were staying. A scuffle broke out between them and the police team and shots were fired, said senior police officers in Ludhiana. The brothers were killed in the shootout.

Talking to media in Muktsar, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that a special investigation team has been constituted to conduct fair investigation into the incident. He said that no one would be spared.

But the opposition Congress Monday sought the resignation of the deputy chief minister, who is also the state home minister.

At a meeting held here Monday, the Congress adopted a resolution seeking Sukhbir Badal's resignation.

Alleging the involvement of an Akali Dal leader from the Ludhiana area, the party demanded a time-bound high level probe by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The Congress, which described the incident as "cold-blooded killing of two brothers", said that the probe will expose the politician-police nexus in Punjab.