Kasauli firing: Magisterial probe indicts police for lapses

The magisterial inquiry into the deaths of an assistant town planner and a PWD employee during a demolition drive in Kasauli has indicted the police for lapses, sources said.

The 133-page report was submitted by Secretary (Youth Services and Sports) Dinesh Malhotra, who headed the panel, to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) B K Aggarwal.

Aggarwal said action would be taken after going through the report.

A sources said the report highlighted lapses by the police such as the lack of proper security arrangement for the staff during the drive.

It noted that the SHO was unarmed while the accused hotelier, Vijay Singh, was armed with a revolver when the demolition drive gainst illegal constructions was underway. The accused also threatened to open fire, if the SHO dared to follow him, the source said.

It also named some officials responsible for lapses and recommended action against them, the source added.

The report gave suggestions to be followed in the future to avoid recurrence of such incidents.

The panel had examined more than 15 witnesses and probed issues of exposing the squad to risk by not providing adequate security or providing weapons to the security staff.

Assistant Town Planner Shail Bala Sharma (51) was allegedly shot dead by Vijay Singh, during the Supreme Court-ordered demolition and an employee of the Public Works Department, Gulab Singh, was also critically injured in the firing.

He succumbed to his injuries at PGIMER in Chandigarh on May 11.

The accused had fled from the spot and disappeared in the adjoining forests. He was arrested three days later from Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district.

The government had transferred the superintendent of police Solan and deputy superintendent of Police, Parwanoo after the incident. It had also sent two police officials to police lines and assured that those responsible for the lapses would face action.

The demolition drive was launched following an April 17 order of the apex court, directing the government to demolish unauthorised constructions by 13 hotels. Four teams had been constituted for implementing the demolition orders.