Gurdaspur youth cremated; kin allege staged encounter

March 10, 2026

The last rites of 19-year-old Ranjit Singh were performed at Adhian village in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, nearly two weeks after he was killed in a controversial police encounter. The cremation took place on Monday amid heavy presence of villagers, activists and farm leaders.

According to reports, more than 1,200 people attended the funeral, with the body taken to the cremation ground in a tractor-trailer. Family members and supporters raised slogans against the state government and demanded action against the police officials allegedly involved in the incident.

Ranjit Singh was shot dead by the police on February 25, days after two policemen were killed near the Pakistan border in Gurdaspur district. Police had claimed that he was one of the suspects in the attack on the police personnel.

Family alleges encounter was stage-managed

The deceased youth’s family has strongly disputed the police version of events. Relatives alleged that Ranjit Singh died during police interrogation and that the encounter story was fabricated to justify his death.

They accused the authorities of attempting to cover up custodial violence and demanded a criminal case against the police officials involved. The family had initially refused to cremate the body until their demands were met, including registration of an FIR and an independent investigation.

Family members also called for examination of CCTV footage and a transparent inquiry to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the youth’s death.

Delay in cremation amid protests

The cremation was delayed for nearly 12 days as the family and several social organisations continued protests demanding justice. Support groups formed the “Ranjit Singh Jhoota Muqabla Joint Action Committee” to press for an inquiry into the alleged fake encounter.

However, disagreements later emerged among members of the committee regarding the continuation of protests and the decision on whether to proceed with the cremation. Some activists had urged the family to delay the funeral until stronger action was taken against the police.

Eventually, citing the deteriorating condition of the body and mounting emotional pressure, the family decided to perform the last rites.

Large turnout and political reactions

The funeral saw participation from farm leaders, trade union activists and local residents, who expressed solidarity with the family. Many attendees waved black flags and raised slogans demanding justice for the deceased youth.

Among those present was Tarsem Singh, father of MP Amritpal Singh, who stated that the ongoing inquiry must reach a logical conclusion and ensure accountability if wrongdoing is established.

The incident has sparked wider debate in Punjab about police encounters and human rights concerns, with activists calling for stricter oversight of law enforcement actions.

Magisterial inquiry underway

Authorities have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the encounter to determine the circumstances surrounding Ranjit Singh’s death. The investigation is being conducted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dinanagar, though officials have not specified a deadline for submitting the report.

The findings of the inquiry are expected to clarify whether the encounter followed standard procedure or whether there were irregularities, as alleged by the family.

For now, the case continues to attract attention across Punjab, with civil society groups and political leaders closely watching the progress of the investigation.