Fake encounter, says mother of suspect shot dead by Punjab cops
Jaspreet and Ram Rattan died in what police claimed to be retaliatory fire when the two were taken to the Panj Pir Tibba area of town to recover the weapons "hidden by the shooters". The family claimed that Jaspreet had nothing to do with the killing of the Abohar businessman and he was picked up from home on the intervening night of July 7-8, hours before he was killed in the encounter.
Jaspreet's mother Parvinder Kaur also claimed that he was at home on July 7 (day of the killing).
She told TOI over phone: "I left home at about 6 am on July 7 to work at a dispensary at Mardapur village near Shambhu in Patiala district. Jaspreet was at home at that time and was not feeling well. I got busy after that." She also revealed that Jaspreet was arrested in a case under the Excise Act for peddling 12 bottles, but was out on bail.
Jaspreet's cousin Jagmeet Singh said that the family was sleeping when nearly 20-25 people in half a dozen vehicles descended on their house at about 1-1.20 am on July 8.
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They took away Jaspreet with them without answering the queries by the family members.
According to his younger sister, over 2 dozen people swooped down on their house, some even went upstairs, thrashed Jaspreet and asked him to accompany them.
Another relative Fateh Singh said the family had approached several police stations in the area on Tuesday morning to find out Jaspreet's whereabouts, only to hear the same evening that he had been killed an encounter.
The family demanded that the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) investigate the two encounter deaths.
Police officers refused to comment on these allegations on Wednesday. Ferozepur Range DIG Harmanbir Singh Gill had said on Tuesday after the encounter: "The duo began shooting at the cops after they pulled out a gun from its hiding place. Police fired back in self defence, and neutralised both of them in a shootout."
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