Mystery shrouds floating dead bodies in Punjab Canal, NHRC takes notice

CHANDIGARH: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken notice of the large number of unidentified dead bodies found floating in the Bhakra Canal leading to Rajasthan, a branch of which splits into Haryana at Khanauri barrage in Sangrur district of Punjab. It is estimated that about 500 dead bodies from various districts of Punjab flow with the water and detected at Khanauri every month.
Inderjit Singh Jaijee, a human rights activist who has brought the matter into light and released a video footage of dead bodies flaoting in the Bhakra Canal, many unidentified dead bodies being thrown back to canal, dogs dragging the bodies near the bak and feeding on them in the presence of police. Jaijee said that an inhuman treatment was given to the dead and police was allowing many dead bodies pass into Rajastrhan feeder and canal splitting into Haryana.
The NHRC March 13 had directed the Punjab Governm,ent file a report on dead bodies within four weeks on a complaint by Jaijee. Meanwhile Jaijee on April 14, 2016 submitted vedio evidence of the dead bodies seen floating every day in the Bhakra Canal. He contested that during last 10 years, over 6000 dead bodies were detected in Canal and police has not kept a record of them.
Jaijee whop also runs a NGO movement against state repression alleged that 60 percfent of dead bodies are of debt ridden farmers who commit suicide and their heads are never counted. He said that rest of the dead bodies are unknown and police take no action to preseve their identiry proof, DNA or photographs. He said that the footage of mutilated dead bodies floating in the canal and dogs feeding on them was whot by a diver engaged in the job.Jaijee who earlier obtained directions from Punjab and High Court to count the dead bodies flowing into Khanauri barrage had later approached the NHRC about recovery of large numbher dead bodies and inhuman treatment with the dead. Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed Punjab Government to isntall under water lights and camera at headworks but district administration of Sangrur took no action on it. He said that many dead bodies are allowed to pass through the barrage during nioght and are not counted.
Jaijee said that a police post is located just 100 yeards away from the Khanauri barrage but policemen hardly help the family members of missing persons who come there to look for dead bodies. Now the local villagers have constructed a guest house there where family members can stay and wait for dead bodies to reach the spot. He said that police is not registering any FIR which creates problems in identification of dead persons and payment of insurance claims and compensation to the kin of deceased.
Jaijee however raised the question that why police was not idenitifying the dead bodies and make it public who are the dead persons. He said that during days of militancy it was common sight that police was throwing dead bodies into the canal after torturing and killing the youth. He said that there was no militancy now in Punjab.
Jaijee said that Punjab Government was suppressing the facts to hide the number of farmers committing suicides in Punjab and trying to give an impression to outside world that all is well in the state. He said that farmers were passing thorugh distress and SAD-BJP government and the previous Congress governments had never extended helping hand to the farmers. He accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for extending lip service to farmers.Jaijee siad that in Haryana, the state government pays Rs.2000 per montnh old age and widow pension while in Punjab till a month ago amount of pension was only Rs.250 per month. He siad that only last month pension is doubled to Rs.500 per month which is meager amount. He said that state government has set no mechanism to count the number of farmers commiting suicides. In last 42 days 31 farmers had committed suicides but it is on record while there is no record of unidentified dead bodies flowing into Canal.The Human rights activist said that number of farmers committing suicide in Punjab is more than Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra but present government is not ready to reveal the real picture for political considerations and paints a rosy picture before the nation. He said that muystery of dead bodies must be revealed. He hoped NHRC would give justice to the dead.