Abohar incident rocks Punjab Assembly, Congress stages walkout

A 27-year-old Dalit man was brutally murdered at the farm house of Shiv Lal Doda in Fazilka's Abohar constituency in December last year.

Chandigarh: Dissatisfied with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal's assurance that the culprits behind the Abohar incident in which a Dalit man died after his limbs were chopped off, would not be spared, opposition Congress on Thursday staged a walkout from the Punjab Assembly.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress MLA Sunil Kumar Jakhar alleged that atrocities are being committed on Dalits in the state and sought a discussion on the issue in the Assembly.

"Police had not named the prime accused in the case in the FIR," Jakhar, former CLP leader, said without naming the accused and termed the incident a "heinous" crime.

Jakhar said there were photographs of the prime accused standing with Sukhbir at a foundation laying ceremony.

"A senior police officer of the rank of Station House Officer is in collusion with the prime accused in the case," he said asking how then the aggrieved family could get justice.

Sukhbir, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the state government had taken all possible steps in the case.

"The culprits would not be spared at any cost," he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister told the House that after registration of the FIR in the case, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to investigate the incident.

Assuring all help to the aggrieved and a fair trial, Sukhbir said 24-25 accused were unnamed in the case but police succeeded in nabbing all 26 culprits.

"Polygraph tests have also been conducted on two conspirators on the orders of court and state police would not show any leniency towards any accused and the guilty would be dealt with as per the law of land," he said.

Sukhbir also said Shiv Lal Doda, the prime accused, was never 'halqa' incharge of SAD and he had contested Assembly Elections against the SAD-BJP coalition in the past.

The Deputy CM said the police had been directed to complete the inquiry at the earliest and file the charge sheet in the court without any delay.

A 27-year-old Dalit man was brutally murdered and another person critically injured at the farm house of Shiv Lal Doda alias Sholly, a liquor contractor who is believed to be a supporter of SAD, in Fazilka's Abohar constituency in December last year.

Attackers chopped both arms and legs of Bheem Tank and one leg and one arm of his friend, Janta Lahoria.

Following the incident, members of Balmiki Samaj set two liquor vends, belonging to the Doda group, on fire, triggering tension in Abohar.