Protesting family blocks Jalandhar-Jammu highway

MUKERIAN - Family members of a man who died, allegedly due to a beating by a policeman, took the body to the busy Jalandhar-Jammu highway in this Punjab town Thursday and blocked the traffic for over 30 minutes to demand action against the culprits.

According to police, Tilak Raj, 25 had eloped with his niece, Monika, 17, from their home in a village in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district. They reached the railway station here Tuesday night. Railway police constable Surinder Singh, who was on night duty, questioned Tilak Raj and allegedly thrashed him with a stick.

“The cop came to us and inquired about our identity proof. He started beating uncle without any provocation. In the meantime he (Tilak) started vomiting and was in pain for nearly two hours at the station but nobody took him to the hospital,” Monika told reporters here.

Police later shifted Tilak to a government hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.

However, railway police officials denied the allegations.

“The deceased had already consumed some poisonous substance and died because of this. The allegations are totally baseless. But still we are waiting for the medical reports,” said Narinder Pal, deputy superintendent of police (railways).

Police also delayed the auptopsy on the body by one day as it was done Thursday. The report did not establish that the deceased had consumed any poison and doctors had further sent the samples for more tests.

“We want strict action against the accused police officials. Their seniors are trying to shield them and they are intimidating us with dire consequences,” said Shambhu Ram, Tilak Raj’s father.

Mukerian is in Hoshiarpur district, some 150 km from Chandigarh.