SIT probing 1984 Sikh riots gets 6-months' extension
Darpan News Desk IANS, 17 Nov, 2021 01:05 PM
Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 17 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh government has given a six months' extension to the special investigation team (SIT) probing the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
The SIT had sought extension and the state government has given time to the SIT to complete the investigation and make arrests by May 2022.
The investigation of the cases is almost over. After the paperwork, only the arrest of the accused is now pending.
In the anti-Sikh riots, 127 people were killed in Kanpur in the aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination on October 31, 1984.
After the filing of the report, action could not be taken due to lack of evidence and witnesses.
The SIT has identified more than 80 accused. On verification, it was found that only 66 accused are alive.
SIT Superintendent of Police Balendu Bhushan Singh said, "The testimony of one or two is pending. Other operations have been completed. The accused will be arrested soon after completing the paperwork. We have identified a dozen rioters who were involved in several murders."
The state government had set up the SIT on February 5, 2019, to inquire into the circumstances leading to the deadly riots. The team was set up after the apex court issued notice to the state government in August 2017 on a petition seeking SIT probe into the riots.
The four-member SIT is headed by retired Uttar Pradesh DGP Atul. The other members are retired district judge Subhash Chandra Agarwal and retired additional director (prosecution) Yogeshwar Krishna Srivastava. SP Balendu Bhushan Singh is its member secretary.
Rahul Gandhi has been critical of the Centre and has been raising his voice over several issues. He has criticised the Modi-led government over the fuel price hike, alleged Pegasus snooping row, three farm laws and several others in recent times.
Dharam Das is the disciple of late Mahant Ram Abhiram Das, who had reportedly placed the idols inside the disputed structure on December 22 midnight in 1949. Das, a prominent face of Ram Mandir Movement and one of the main litigants from Hindu side in the Ram Janmabhoomi title suit, lodged the complaint at Ram Janmabhoomi police station.
Canada's decision to ban direct flights from India till September 21 while allowing vaccinated family-class passengers and students from all other countries has not gone down well with the Indo-Canadian community. As a result of the ban, Indian students and family-class returnees are taking indirect routes to reach Canada, costing them $4,000-$6,000 per person.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday claimed that the Independence Day announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been increased by 1.5 times is incorrect and the announced MSP is not being realised by all farmers despite his commitment in the Parliament.
The incumbent pontiff, Arunagirinatha Gnanasambantha Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, passed away at a private hospital in Madurai on August 13 due to respiratory illness. He had been the pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam for four decades.
BJP Delhi Yuva Morcha president Vasu Rukhar told IANS that the Pakistan government must apologise and install a grand statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh where it was demolished in Lahore.
