Villagers demand arrest of NRI for abetting Sarpanch`s suicide

Agitated villagers and kin of Dalit village sarpanch, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a train, held protests, blocking movement of trains to demand the arrest of a Canada-based NRI for abetting his suicide.

Phagwara: Agitated villagers and kin of Dalit village sarpanch, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a train, held protests here on Sunday, blocking movement of trains by squatting on railway tracks to demand the arrest of a Canada-based NRI for abetting his suicide.

Des Raj (40), Sarpanch of Khangura village under Phagwara sub-division took the extreme step on the rail track between Mehtan and Sapror villages yesterday. In a suicide note recovered by the police, the deceased had accused a Canada-based NRI of using caste-specific language against him after he refused to sign some papers that Singh wanted him to sign. Raj`s son Balkar Singh along with other villagers, supported by BSP activists, held up a train by squatting on railway track here and placed the Sarpanch`s body on a mini-truck near the protest site demanding the NRI`s arrest. Hundreds of train passengers were stranded on the route when the protesters held up Amritsar-Jai Nagar Shaheed Express near Santokhpura railway barrier on the outskirts of Phagwara for about 45 minutes, police said. They placed the body of Sarpanch nearby in a mini-truck and squatted on the track demanding arrest of the NRI under various sections of the IPC and relevant Sections of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Government Railway Police (GRP) DSP Hardip Singh, Phagwara DSP Manjit Singh and Executive Magistrate Manvir Singh Dhillon reached the site and assured the protesters that appropriate action would be taken against the culprit. Meanwhile, a `look- out` notice has been issued to all the airports in the country to ensure the NRI does not fly out, police said adding raids were being conducted to arrest him. PTI