Gurdaspur Police Encounter Case: Court Seeks SHO Report, Demands Independent Postmortem and Judicial Probe

Gurdaspur,Nazrana Times,Kanwarpartap Singh

While hearing the petition filed by the mother of Ranjit Singh, the Gurdaspur Court has sought a report from the SHO of Purana Shalla police station regarding the alleged police encounter.
The matter pertains to an application filed by Sukhnjinder Kaur before the Judicial Magistrate in Gurdaspur, raising the following key demands:
 

1. Medical and Forensic Examination
• Independent Postmortem – The postmortem of the deceased (Ranjit Singh) should be conducted by a medical board at PGI Chandigarh or any equivalent government medical college.
• Videography – The entire postmortem process should be videographed to ensure transparency and prevent tampering with evidence.
• Examination of Police Personnel – An independent medical board should examine the alleged bullet injuries sustained by CIA Incharge Gurmeet Singh and other police personnel to verify their authenticity.
• Forensic Analysis – Gunshot residue (GSR) tests, wound analysis, and bullet trajectory examination of both the deceased and the injured police officials should be conducted.
 

2. Preservation of Evidence
The petition seeks immediate sealing and safeguarding of the following materials to prevent destruction or alteration of evidence:
• Digital Records – Call Detail Records (CDR) and GPS/location data of the deceased and senior police officials (SSP Gurdaspur, SHOs of Dorangla and Behrampur, CIA Incharge, etc.).
• Physical Evidence – The allegedly recovered weapon, the deceased’s clothes, viscera samples, bullets, and ballistic materials.
• Official Records – Malkhana entries and medical records of the allegedly injured police personnel.
• CCTV Footage – CCTV footage and DVRs seized by police from the area and the deceased’s village.
 

3. Investigation and Legal Oversight
• Independent Agency Probe – The investigation should be handed over to an agency not subordinate to the concerned police station (Purana Shalla) to ensure impartiality.

• Judicial Inquiry – A formal judicial inquiry into the cause of death should be initiated under Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
• Legal Compliance – The entire process should adhere to the Supreme Court guidelines laid down in the PUCL vs State of Maharashtra case concerning police encounters.
 

4. Human Rights and Protection
• Right to Dignity and Fair Process – The deceased’s right to dignity and fair procedure under Article 21 of the Constitution must be upheld.
• Protection from Pressure – The petition alleges that government officials are pressuring the family to withdraw legal proceedings and conduct the last rites quickly, which should be prevented.
Duty Magistrate Dr. Supreet Kaur ordered that the application be registered and directed the SHO of Purana Shalla police station to submit a report by February 28, 2026. The State’s APP has also been informed and directed to file a reply, if any, on the next date of hearing.