A 23-year-old Dalit man who died after allegedly consuming poison in Punjab’s Sangrur has triggered a confrontation between his family and the police, with relatives accusing the administration of forcibly removing them from outside the mortuary and conducting his post-mortem and last rites without their consent.
The deceased, Sanamdeep Singh, a mason from Kanoi village, consumed poison on September 25 and died the following day. His family had kept his body at Sangrur Civil Hospital for five days while demanding action against the village sarpanch and others whom they held responsible for his alleged harassment.
According to a report by Mooknayak, the family was on an indefinite protest and had refused to allow the post-mortem or take the body until the arrest of the sarpanch and his associates.
Family Alleges Harassment and False FIR
Sanamdeep’s uncle, Gora Singh, alleged that an FIR had been registered against the village sarpanch in 2019 following a complaint by Sanamdeep.
He further alleged that around five months ago, another FIR was filed against seven members of their family in an attempt to pressure them into withdrawing the earlier case.
Gora Singh claimed that Sanamdeep had been under continuous mental pressure. He also alleged that while sewer lines were being laid in the village, four of their houses were deliberately left out and that Sanamdeep was denied work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The family had been demanding the arrest of the accused and the application of provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Family Alleges Police Used Force
The situation escalated on Thursday when police and administrative officials reached the hospital to clear the entrance to the mortuary.
The family alleged that police used force against protesters and dragged Sanamdeep’s mother and grandmother into a police vehicle. They further alleged that the authorities proceeded with the post-mortem in their absence and later cremated the body without the family’s consent.
Gora Singh alleged that the police had earlier assured them that their demands would be considered but later used force against the protesters. He also alleged that municipal officials assisted in carrying out the cremation.
“They turned the entire village into a cantonment as if they were dealing with terrorists,” Gora Singh alleged.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Police Defend Action
Sangrur DSP Dalbir Singh Sidhu defended the administration’s action, saying the body had deteriorated significantly after remaining in the mortuary for several days.
According to the police, senior medical officials had issued several notices warning the family that the body was decomposing rapidly. The administration said the family refused to accept the notices.
Sidhu also said an FIR had already been registered on September 28 at Sangrur Sadar Police Station based on a complaint by Sanamdeep’s father. The case was registered under provisions relating to abetment of suicide and common liability against the village sarpanch, his brother, a former panchayat member and a woman.
The DSP alleged that some political workers and people from outside the village encouraged the family to continue the protest and demand arrests before the post-mortem could be conducted.
Police said protesters became violent when officials began the legal process, allegedly abusing officers, damaging buses and attacking police personnel. The police said mild force was used to disperse the crowd.
A three-member medical board eventually conducted the post-mortem. According to the police, Sanamdeep’s last rites were subsequently carried out at the cremation ground on Ubhaval Road in the presence of municipal officials and some panchayat representatives.
Arrests and Detentions
During the confrontation, police arrested Congress functionary Rajinder Singh Deepa and three others from Sunam. They were accused of attacking police personnel, damaging public property and obstructing government work. They were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.
Police also detained eight members of Sanamdeep’s family and four other people, although the police said no FIR had been registered against them in connection with the detentions.
The family continues to allege that the authorities acted against their wishes and failed to address their demands for justice. The police, meanwhile, maintain that the action was necessary because of the deteriorating condition of the body and the alleged violence during the protest.
