Former Punjab Minister and MLA Pargat Singh has raised serious concerns over the alleged fake encounter of 19-year-old Ranjit Singh, calling it a disturbing indicator of declining governance in the state. Sharing a strongly worded statement, he urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and DGP Punjab Police to come forward with a clear and transparent explanation supported by credible evidence.
According to the family’s allegations, Ranjit Singh was picked up from his home and later linked to the killing of two Punjab Police personnel. Within hours, he was declared killed in what authorities described as an “encounter,” triggering widespread suspicion and anger. Pargat Singh said the contradictory claims demand immediate clarification from the highest levels of the government.
The former minister warned that Punjab appears to be drifting toward a police-state-like environment, where unchecked police actions and rising encounter killings threaten civil liberties. He stressed that in a democracy, law enforcement must operate strictly within constitutional boundaries, and any deviation erodes public trust.
Citing a growing pattern of such incidents, Pargat Singh demanded an independent, impartial, and time-bound judicial inquiry. He urged the Human Rights Commission of India and the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court to take suo motu cognizance to ensure justice is not compromised.