Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on July 30 said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will investigate the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing that took place on October 14, 2015, that followed Bargari Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege. This announcement is in line with the recommendations of the Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission.
While announcing compensation and jobs for the families of those killed in the firing at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan CM added, “The government has raised the compensation amount for the families of the two deceased from Rs.75 lakhs as recommended by the Commission to Rs.1 crore each, whereas the compensation for the seriously injured S. Beant Singh has been raised from Rs.35 lakh as recommended by the Commission, to Rs.50 lakh. A member of each of their families would also be offered a job in the government.”
Chief Minister during a press conference said that the decision to hand over the case to the CBI for further investigation had been taken to ensure objective investigation after registering a case under section 307 IPC.
“The Commission of Enquiry headed by Justice (Retd) Ranjit Singh submitted its first (part-I) report on 30th June 2018. Though the full report is awaited, the Government has decided to accept the recommendations made by the Commission so far,” said CM Singh.
CM further added that the role of all police officers for use of indiscriminate lathi-charge, causing injuries to a number of persons, will be probed by CBI and all related documents will be handed over to the agency.
