Days after the Ror community demanded an independent probe into the deaths of Harsh of Kala Majra and Birbal of Matarwa Kheri in an alleged police encounter in Karnal, the Haryana government has transferred the investigation to the State Crime Branch.
According to an order issued by the director general of police (DGP), Haryana, the case, registered on August 7 at Madhuban police station has been transferred from the district police to the crime branch with an immediate effect.
The investigation will be conducted under the supervision of Sanjay Kumar, additional director general of police (ADGP), law and order, Haryana.
The order directed the inspector general of police, crime, Haryana, to depute an officer to take over the case file from Karnal police after completing the requisite formalities. The superintendent of police, Karnal, has also been asked to hand over the case file and all relevant records to the officer deputed by the crime branch.
The development came hours after the Akhil Bharatiya Ror Mahasabha announced a Mahapanchayat in Karnal on August 24, escalating its agitation over what community members allege was a “wrongful encounter”.
Harsh, a resident of Kala Majra village, and Birbal, a resident of Matarwa Kheri, were allegedly killed in a police encounter on August 7 in connection with the murder of Veeru Valmiki of Karnal, who was shot dead on August 5.
The encounter had triggered resentment among members of the Ror community, who organised a state-level meeting in Kurukshetra on August 12. The community demanded a CBI inquiry into the encounter, transfer of Karnal SP Narender Bijrania till completion of the probe and resignation of Karnal BJP MLA Jagmohan Anand over remarks he allegedly made before the encounter.
A delegation of Ror community representatives subsequently met chief minister Nayab Singh Saini at his camp office in Chandigarh on August 13. Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan and Pundri MLA Satpal Jamba were also present during the meeting.
