Government-Jhota panel meet inconclusive

The government delegation included three women IAS officers, Special Secretary in the Housing and Urban Development Department Apneet Riyait, Faridkot Divisional Commissioner Kanwal Preet Brar, Mansa Deputy Commissioner Navjot Kaur, and two IPS officers, DIG Bathinda Range Harjeet Singh and Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary. AIG Counter Intelligence Avneet Kaur Sidhu was also present.

Speaking to mediapersons, Riyait said they listened to the aggrieved family and received a memorandum from Manpreet. She said the demands would be discussed with the state government before another round of talks with the family.

The meeting also witnessed an emotional exchange over the police response to the incident. When police alertness was mentioned, Bhim Singh, an ex-serviceman, objected strongly, saying, “This was not police alertness but negligence. If the police were so alert, why could they not save my son’s life?”