Amritsar:
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today visited Rampura village and met the family of the policeman, who was shot dead allegedly by a local Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader after he resisted harassment of his daughter by the politician and his aides.
Mr Badal met the daughter and other family members of murdered Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Ravinderpal Singh and expressed his condolence.
Mr Singh's daughter told Mr Badal that her father was publicly beaten by the accused before being shot.
The 23-year-old girl told the chief minister that the accused also slapped her repeatedly before passers-by.
She claimed the Station House Officer (SHO) of the police station concerned was "equally responsible" for not acting on her complaint against the accused.
The SHO has been dismissed.
After listening to her, Mr Badal, while expressing sympathy with the family, said the Punjab Government would extend all possible help to them, since Ravinderpal was an honest and hardworking officer.
Later, Mr Badal told reporters that there was no threat to peace in Punjab as the law and order situation all over the state was within control.
His response came after being asked about the allegations of opposition Congress that there was complete breakdown of law and order and "jungle raj" was prevailing in the state.
Mr Badal said, "One should not give political colours to this issue, but share sympathy with the family."
Talking about the accused, Mr Badal said Ranjit Singh Rana was not an old party worker since he was admitted in the party fold recently and the party was not aware about his character.
"There would be no leniency shown to the accused involved in the murder of ASI," Mr Badal said.
Mr Rana was SAD's secretary (urban) for the last three months. He along with his four accomplices had allegedly shot dead ASI Ravinderpal on December 5.
Mr Rana, along with three of his accomplices, was arrested by the police next day.
Meanwhile, People's Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal also visited the bereaved family.
Manpreet, the estranged nephew of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, dismissed the sacking of the SHO as "a cover up exercise" of the Akali-BJP government.
"People are not satisfied with the dismissal of an SHO.
"The responsibility lies with the chief minister and the state's home minister, and action needs to be initiated against them in case they do not resign," the PPP chief said.
The PPP chief said his party would be submitting a memorandum to the Punjab Governor seeking a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Manpreet alleged this was not an isolated incident since it came close on the heels of an abduction case involving a 15-year-old girl from Faridkot.