www.tribune.com No FIR in Dalit immolation case Bipin Bhardwaj, Tribune News Service
Batala, September 23 Even after 24 hours of recording the statement of Sandeep Singh, alias Sonu, a Dalit boy, in the presence of a judicial magistrate, the police still has not registered any case against the suspects who forced him to set himself ablaze in Matholla village yesterday. In his declaration, Sonu, who is struggling for life in Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar, has said his master Sawinder Singh, alias Kala, Rattan Singh, Bira Singh and certain others had been harassing him over the a missing mobile phone. They charged him with stealing the phone and even threatened him. Sucha Singh, father of the victim, alleged that Sonu took the extreme step following harassment and threats by village sarpanch Raghubir Singh and his master Sawinder Singh, alias Kala. Batala SSP R.N. Dhoke said, "I have asked the area DSP to register an FIR against the persons who have been named by Sonu in his declaration after proper investigation".
