Autopsy reveals injury marks, cops tight-lipped

Jasvir died at the Mansa civil hospital under mysterious circumstances on May 1

: Mystery continues to shroud over the death of Morinda sacrilege accused Jasvir Singh even as officials privy to the development say the autopsy stated wounds on the body. Jasvir died at the Mansa civil hospital under mysterious circumstances on May 1.

He was rushed to the hospital after he complained of uneasiness at Mansa jail, where he was lodged since April 29.

One week after the autopsy report was handed over to the police, Mansa cops remain tight-lipped on the cause of death.

Mansa senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nanak Singh denied comment saying a judicial inquest proceeding is underway.

“The accused died in judicial custody and as per the protocol, a judicial officer is holding a probe. We can comment only after the investigation in the case is over,” said the SSP.

After his death in Mansa, accused Jasvir’s body was sent to Government Medical College, Patiala, where his post-mortem was conducted by a panel of three doctors last Tuesday.

Officials privy to the probe said the autopsy confirms injury marks on the body but added it is a subject of investigation.

“Jasvir underwent medical examination when he was arrested in Rupnagar and again when he was taken to the Mansa jail. After he was rushed to civil hospital on May 1, the Mansa jail administration had confirmed to the police that Jasvir was neither subjected to any physical attack nor was there any attempt to hurt him. It is to be examined if the said injury marks found in the autopsy matched with the earlier medical examinations or not,” said an official requesting anonymity. The viscera would be sent for chemical analysis to ascertain the cause of death, said officials involved in the probe.

Jasvir was accused of desecrating Guru Granth Sahib and hitting two priests at the Kotwali Sahib gurdwara in Rupnagar’s Morinda on April 24. The entire episode was caught on CCTV.

Soon after the incident, he was overpowered by devotees present in the gurdwara and allegedly thrashed before being handed over to the Rupnagar police.

An electrician by profession, Jasvir had a narrow escape on April 27, when a lawyer tried to shoot him in the Rupnagar district court. He was presented before the judicial magistrate when a lawyer identified as Sahib Singh Khurl drew his licenced pistol and pointed it towards him, but before he could pull the trigger, cops present on the spot overpowered him.

The lawyer was booked for attempt to murder after which Jasvir was sent to Mansa jail.

Jasvir’s last rites were performed by the Patiala district authorities on May 3 after no one from his family reached to claim the body.

The accused died in judicial custody and as per the protocol, a judicial officer is holding a probe. We can comment only after the investigation in the case is over NANAK SINGH, Mansa SSP