There were many injured in a bloody clash between cops and Sikh protesters in Kotkapura town. The law enforcement used lathis and water cannons to disperse protesters, whilst the latter attacked cops and torched police vehicles. The authorities somehow controlled the situation.
This is a summary of what happened that day in Kotkapura.
How Many Lives Were Lost at Kotkapura?
One of the most important questions amid all the controversy. The answer is None. However, many received severe injuries during the riot, including numerous protesters and police officers.
A young protester got shot in the legs, and a policeman was beaten savagely by the crowd, owing to which he was left paralyzed waist down.
Who Fired on the Crowd and on Whose Orders?
At the time when the riot took place, more than a dozen policemen were deployed on the scene. Now, the alarming element here is that these officers had the authority to order firing.
Besides, there were numerous armed policemen deployed at the scene as well. With so many armed men present at the scene, it is not clear who gave an order or who panicked and fired.
Was IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal Involved in the Behbal Kalan Incident?
No, IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal was not at Behbal Kalan. This was also noted in the Ranjit Singh Commission Report. Besides, Umranangal didn’t have any authority over the police personnel present at the scene.
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh (SIT member) also confirmed that there is enough evidence to prove that inspector general of police was posted in Ludhiana.
What About the Statements Made by the Injured Protesters?
The court has also agreed that some other injured protesters statement was recorded. Most importantly, the protesters denied paramraj singh umranangal commanding the police party on that fateful day, which lead to the injuries to the protesters.
CCTV footage was also shown where the protesters could be seen attacking the police officials. The protesters went one step ahead, and even police vehicles were set on fire. The police are yet to discern the conspiracy behind the violence and subsequent police firing in Kotkapura.
Was IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal Present Illegally in Kotkapura?
No, in fact just like other senior police officers hailing from other districts, he was in Kotkapura but he was not on duty. The SIT also recognized this fact in the sessions court.
Were the Police Forces at Kotkapura Under the Sole Command of IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal?
No, at Kotkapura, the local police officers of Faridkot were in command. Both paramraj singh umranangal and the ADGP Law and Order—Rohit Chowdary were present at the scene.
Was the Police Firing in Kotakapura a Part of a Planned Conspiracy?
No, based on the CCTV footage (quoted in the Justice Ranjit Singh Report) the police can be seen negotiating with the protesters.
The duration of the recording is 60 minutes, and most of the recording shows several police officials engaged in peaceful negotiations with the protesters, even though it was believed that the gathering was illegal.
It was evident from the footage; the arrest of Mr. Panthpreet Singh was the key reason behind the confrontation. The protesters even resisted his arrest, and this led to mild lathi charge. This enraged the protesters, and they started throwing bricks and police had to use tear gas and water cannon to bring the situation under control.
With the help of the footage, it can be seen how the protesters attacked the policemen, and some of them were beaten mercilessly. All these incidents led to the firing. All this chaos took three minutes to end.
Was IG Paramraj Singh Umranangal Involved in an Illegal Talk With Someone?
No, as per the telephone records, IG Umranangal was talking to the DGP during the crisis which is quite normal and anticipated.
The orders issued in references Kotkapura case shows no higher authorities involvement in that incident. Although this case is in court, let's see what happens next?