Sikh community stages protest, demands a probe into the case.
Suhail Khan
BARAMULLA, Aug 29: Tragic news struck Baramulla as the missing Assistant Executive Engineer of Roads and Buildings (R&B) was found dead, with his body recovered from the depths of the majestic river Jehlum on Tuesday.
This unfortunate incident unfolded six days after the engineer, Gurmeet Singh, mysteriously went missing.
The echoes of his vanishing reverberated when his locked car was discovered abandoned on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad national highway.
An official told Kashmir Despatch that while reacting swiftly to this distressing development, the police sprang into action, initiating a comprehensive investigation and launching a rescue mission in and around the town.
The tireless efforts of the authorities finally bore fruit this morning, as the dead body of the engineer was finally retrieved from the river Jehlum, specifically at LJHP Gantmulla.
He said to further intensify the probe, a special investigation team (SIT), led by the diligent DySP Hqrs Baramulla, was formed immediately after the reports of this heart-wrenching incident came to light.
The SIT is determined to unearth the truth behind the mysterious disappearance and subsequent demise of Engineer Gurmeet Singh, leaving no stone unturned in their quest for justice.
Expressing their deep concern and solidarity, the Sikh community in Baramulla town took to the streets and staged protest demonstrations.
The protesting Sikh community demanded a thorough probe into the case and said the deceased was a gentleman; how could he go to such an extreme step?
They blocked the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road at Kanta-Bagh Baramulla, which affected the traffic movement from both sides. Later, after police intervened, the protest peacefully culminated.
This incident has undoubtedly sent shockwaves through the community, compelling them to amplify their voices and demand answers.
Meanwhile, the All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the mysterious death of Engineer Gurmeet Singh.
The Committee has said that since the whole issue is fishy, only a probe by the CBI will settle the nerves of the Sikh community as a whole and the bereaved family in particular.
In a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch, APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said that since fingers have been pointed towards the alleged role of the contractors in the whole episode, it is important that a probe be carried out by a professional investigative agency like the CBI. Raina said that the entire records of the R&B department should be seized so that all possible angles are probed.
“It is highly unfortunate that despite the formation of SIT, only half-hearted measures were taken to find out about the engineer who has been missing since last Friday. The concerned agencies should have taken proactive steps to trace the missing engineer, but that was not to be,” said the APSCC Chairman. APSCC members Ajeet Singh Mastana and Principal Niranjan Singh also voiced the same demand.
A large number of Sikhs assembled at Baramulla and expressed anguish over the mysterious death of Engineer Gurmeet Singh. The protesters, while demanding stern action in the case, appealed for peace and bonhomie among the different communities.
