Protesting farmer Shubh Karan Singh, who was killed in clashes with the Haryana Police at Khanauri last week, died of a firearm injury to the head, according to the 21-year-old man’s post-mortem examination report, which also detected “foreign bodies” in his head.
A CT scan conducted before the autopsy detected several metal pellets in his head. Wounds caused by metal pellets were found on the upper bodies of several protesting farmers who were injured in police action, said medico-legal reports issued by hospitals in Patiala last week.
The examination, which was conducted on Wednesday, found an injury mark on the occipital region (the rearmost region of the skull) and also showed that his body bore no other injury marks. HT has seen the report.
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Doctors who conducted the examination said they have submitted the report to the Patiala police and refrained from revealing more information.
The metal pellets found in Singh’s skull were also handed over to the police, said people aware of the matter, adding that these may be sent to ballistics experts to ascertain the nature of the firearm that was used.
Singh was cremated on Thursday.
Protesting farmers and Singh’s family initially did not allow authorities to conduct a post-mortem examination, demanding that a case of a murder be filed against police personnel for his death and “martyr status” for the victim.
Thousands of farmers have been camped at the Punjab-Haryana borders for over two weeks now, demanding that the central government enact a law on MSP for all crops.
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Punjab Police sub-inspector Yashpal Sharma, investigating officer in the case said he had not received the post-mortem report till the time of going to press.
Suresh Kumar, station house officer of Garhi police station in Haryana, said, “We have not received any post-mortem report yet and therefore cannot comment on it.”
HT last week reported that pellet wounds were found on some protesters. At the time, a senior Haryana Police officer, who asked not to be named, said: “We are aware of the development but have not received a formal report. We are looking into the matter.”
The examination, which was conducted on Wednesday, found an injury mark on the occipital region and also showed that his body bore no other injury marks. HT has seen the report.
