Ex-Punjab Police officer arrested over 2015 firing case

Chandigarh: A former Punjab Police officer was arrested on Sunday in connection with the Behbal Kalan police firing in Faridkot in 2015, in which two persons were killed.

Charanjit Singh Sharma was arrested by a special investigation team (SIT) of the Punjab Police from his residence in Hoshiarpur, around 150 km from here.

The arrest comes after the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday dismissed a plea by Sharma and three other police officers seeking protection from prosecution in the case

Sharma was Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Moga district when the incident took place during a protest by Sikh activists against repeated incidents of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib.

He and the other police officials -- Bikramjit Singh (then SSP Fazilka), Inspector Pardip Singh and sub-inspector Amarjit Singh -- were booked for murder and attempt to murder following recommendations by the Justice (Retd.) Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry.

Sharma was suspended and later compulsorily retired.

Punjab was brought to a standstill in October 2015 with radical Sikhs and others blocking highways and roads for days.