People protest after retired Army man’s body recovered

People protesting with dead body of retired Army man at Palma in Rajouri on Monday. -Excelsior/Imran
People protesting with dead body of retired Army man at Palma in Rajouri on Monday. -Excelsior/Imran

Family alleges kidnapping, murder
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Dec 5: The people blocked road for over three hours and held strong protest at Palma Sankari in Rajouri on Monday after the dead body of a retired Army personnel was found under suspicious circumstances.
Reports said a retired Army personnel, Sukhdev Singh, son of Lal Chand, from Palma area had gone missing for the last three days and his missing report was registered at the Police Station, but on Monday morning, his body was found under suspicious circumstances at some distance from his house.
After the recovery of dead body of Sukhdev Singh, the situation turned tense in the area. After seeing the dead body, the family members and relatives supported by villagers started massive protest demonstration at Palma by blocking the Rajouri- Budhal road. They also kept dead body of the deceased on the road. They termed it as clear murder and demanded arrest of the accused responsible for it.
They were holding protest against Police and District Administration. They were demanding immediate action against the accused persons involved in the alleged murder.
Angry family members said that the retired Army personnel was kidnapped under suspicious circumstances and after that he was brutally murdered and the body was dumped. The police should conduct a fair investigation so that the killers are put behind the bars and the family get justice.
The protesters told that after the disappearance, the family members kept searching for him for 3 days and the road through which many people pass and the search was also done on that road, but he was not found anywhere, but today his body was found on the same road. From this it is clear that the dead body has been thrown after killing him. Not only this, there are many marks and cuts on the dead body that it seems that the dead body has been dragged and it is very important to investigate it so that the truth comes out.
After about two hours of protest, SHO Rajouri Farid Ahmed reached the spot and assured the family that the police would conduct a fair investigation and those involved in the murder would be exposed soon and put behind bars. Then they suspended the demonstration.
Meanwhile, police registered a case under section 174 CrPC for death under suspicious circumstances and sent the body for post-mortem. After completing legal formalities the body was handed over to the relatives for last rites.