Punjab women’s panel seeks report in death of advocate in Ludhiana

BATHINDA: Taking suo moto cognisance of the death of advocate Diljot Sharma of Mansa under mysterious circumstances at Ludhiana on Jan 5, the Punjab State Commission for Women on Thursday sought a status report from the Ludhiana police commissionerate by Jan 27. Earlier, the commission had sent a letter to the police commissioner on Jan 20. As per sources, commission chairperson Raj Lali Gill called police commissioner Swapan Sharma on Thursday.The commission has sought the viscera, postmortem, and forensic reports about the handwriting in the suicide note. The commission sought these details after the deceased's mother, Veerpal Kaur, took up the matter with the commission while raising doubts over the handwriting used in the purported suicide note.Gill said, "As the deceased's mother raised doubts over the suicide note, I asked the commissioner to get the matter probed by the forensic sciences laboratory and provide the report to the commission by Jan 27, and provide an interim report before Jan 27." Diljot Sharma, from Ralla village in Mansa and a member of the Mansa District Bar Association, worked with a left-leaning organisation. She died on Jan 5 evening, and the death was initially treated as suicide. Veerpal Kaur, who works as an Aaganwadi worker, said she spoke to her daughter at 1pm on Jan 5. "She was alright, and wanted Rs 2,000 to buy new shoes, but later I received a call that Diljot has died," she said. Kaur, along with members of the action committee formed for justice for Diljot's death, has reached Ludhiana from Mansa to meet police officials, who told the action committee that they would complete the investigation by Jan 29. Earlier, a delegation of the Mansa District Bar Association met the Ludhiana ADCP over the issue. Protest outside SSP officeThe action committee ‘Justice for Diljot', comprising representatives of various social, farmer, employee organisations and the bar association, held a protest at the office of Mansa SSP on Thursday, while demanding an impartial probe into the death of Diljot Sharma under mysterious circumstances. A memorandum in the name of the governor was sent through police officials. The action plan announced another protest at the office of the Ludhiana police commissioner on Feb 2.