Bargari sacrilege case: Medical board set up to probe Mahinderpal Bittu death, says police

Just a few days after the alleged attack on Mahinderpal Bittu in jail, the prime accused in the Bargari sacrilege case, the police said that a medical board has been set up to probe the death and the report of the post-mortem examination will be disclosed shortly.

"A medical board comprising of three doctors has been set up. The post-mortem will be carried out by them. The judge had itself come here to see the process. We will soon hand over the body to the family and will also disclose the results of the post-mortem report," said Amit Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Patiala.

The prime accused in the Bargari sacrilege case was killed allegedly by two inmates in a prison in Nabha on Saturday evening, police had said.

The incident occurred at around 5.15 pm when the accused Mahinderpal Bittu was attacked by some prison inmates. The injured was rushed to Nabha civil hospital near Patiala, where he was declared brought dead.

AS Rai, Inspector General of Police, also spoke to media on Saturday pertaining to the case and informed that a thorough investigation into the matter is underway and justice will be delivered soon. "At present, we just want that peace should be maintained in Punjab. An FIR has been registered into the case. Justice will be done soon."

It should be noted that the preliminary investigations have revealed that Bittu (49), a resident of Faridkot, was allegedly attacked by Gursewak Singh and Mnder Singh, who were lodged in the Nabha prison for a murder case.

Soon after the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh ordered an inquiry into the fatal assault on the Bargari sacrilege accused, warning of stringent punishment to the assailants.

ADGP Prisons, Rohit Chaudhary, will head the fact-finding committee, which has been asked to submit a report within three days. The inquiry will be in addition to the mandatory judicial inquest into the murder of the accused, Bittu, who was arrested last year, according to a government spokesperson.

The Chief Minister has ordered beefing up of security in the state in the wake of the attack while appealing to all communities to maintain peace and not to give in to rumours. "Those involved in the attack will face punishment for the crime," he had asserted.

( With inputs from ANI )