Jalandhar July 30:
Even as embers of the festering fire between Dera Sacha Sauda and sundry Sikh groups refuses to die down, another dera leader has triggered furore across Punjab by shooting to death a 14-year-old boy here.
The attack also saw a woman seriously injured as Dera Baba Budh Dass head Gursharan Dass fired at angry villagers trying to lay their hands on him following some objectionable remarks made by him against Maharishi Valmiki. Though lucky to survive the mob fury as members of the Balmiki community tried to set the room where he'd locked himself on fire, Dalit groups were loudly heard vowing revenge.
The baba was later arrested along with a woman and another person staying with him. Police also recovered a .32 bore revolver and a double barrel gun from him. In the melee that saw tear gas shells being burst and stones pelted, 10 policemen, including SP (Hq) Satinder Singh and three DSPs, were injured.
DC AS Pannu in the evening ordered magisterial probe by Nakodar SDM Ajay Sood, while SHO of Mehatpur DS Randhawa was placed under suspension for dereliction of duty. According to villagers, the problem started at around 11 am when Gursharan Dass, caretaker of the dera on the outskirts of the village, allegedly made some objectionable remarks about Maharishi Valmiki during a discourse. An eyewitness said some villagers belonging to the Balmiki community soon gathered there.
An altercation took place between them and the baba. As the face-off turned ugly, with the baba being slapped by angry protesters, Gursharan Dass went inside the dera and fired at the mob, killing Mani, a class eight student, who had come there just to quench his thirst, on the spot. Recalling what happened, Balwinder Singh, another eyewitness, said, "A mob tried to catch hold of the baba and he fired another shot, this time in presence of the SHO, and injured Usha Rani, the deceased’s aunt.
A fire tender had to be pressed into service after the dera room was set on fire and a vehicle completely burnt and the premises ransacked." Later DC Ajit Singh Pannu, along with SSP Pawan Rai, held a meeting with representatives of the community who demanded that around 135 acres of dera land be taken under control by the government and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh be declared for the family of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the injured.
Even as embers of the festering fire between Dera Sacha Sauda and sundry Sikh groups refuses to die down, another dera leader has triggered furore across Punjab by shooting to death a 14-year-old boy here.
The attack also saw a woman seriously injured as Dera Baba Budh Dass head Gursharan Dass fired at angry villagers trying to lay their hands on him following some objectionable remarks made by him against Maharishi Valmiki. Though lucky to survive the mob fury as members of the Balmiki community tried to set the room where he'd locked himself on fire, Dalit groups were loudly heard vowing revenge.
The baba was later arrested along with a woman and another person staying with him. Police also recovered a .32 bore revolver and a double barrel gun from him. In the melee that saw tear gas shells being burst and stones pelted, 10 policemen, including SP (Hq) Satinder Singh and three DSPs, were injured.
DC AS Pannu in the evening ordered magisterial probe by Nakodar SDM Ajay Sood, while SHO of Mehatpur DS Randhawa was placed under suspension for dereliction of duty. According to villagers, the problem started at around 11 am when Gursharan Dass, caretaker of the dera on the outskirts of the village, allegedly made some objectionable remarks about Maharishi Valmiki during a discourse. An eyewitness said some villagers belonging to the Balmiki community soon gathered there.
An altercation took place between them and the baba. As the face-off turned ugly, with the baba being slapped by angry protesters, Gursharan Dass went inside the dera and fired at the mob, killing Mani, a class eight student, who had come there just to quench his thirst, on the spot. Recalling what happened, Balwinder Singh, another eyewitness, said, "A mob tried to catch hold of the baba and he fired another shot, this time in presence of the SHO, and injured Usha Rani, the deceased’s aunt.
A fire tender had to be pressed into service after the dera room was set on fire and a vehicle completely burnt and the premises ransacked." Later DC Ajit Singh Pannu, along with SSP Pawan Rai, held a meeting with representatives of the community who demanded that around 135 acres of dera land be taken under control by the government and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh be declared for the family of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the injured.
