Hope cops convicted for killing my 15-yr-old son are made to serve their life term, says Harpal’s mother

A special CBI court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two Punjab Police officers for the fake encounter killing of a 15-year-old boy 26 years ago

3 min readAmritsarUpdated: Sep 29, 2018 04:39 AM IST

Hope cops convicted for killing my 15-yr-old son are made to serve their life term, says Harpal’s mother

Harpal’s sister (left) and mother

Two days after a special CBI court convicted and sentenced two Punjab Police officers for the fake encounter killing of a 15-year-old boy 26 years ago, the victim’s mother on Friday said she hoped the guilty policemen were made to serve the full sentence of life term handed to them.
Raghubir Singh, the then Station House Officer (SHO) of Beas police station, and Dara Singh, a sub-inspector at the same police station at the time of the encounter, were convicted and sentenced to life term for killing 15-year-old Harpal Singh at Nijjar village in Amritsar district on September 18, 1992.

Living at the house of her son-in-law Malkiat Singh, retired from Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), in village Kot Baghta in Gurdaspur, Harpal’s mother Balwinder Kaur (70) said, “I had adopted Harpal Singh as I had no son. He was sleeping when the police came to our house in the morning. His hands were tied and he was dragged into the police car in front of all villagers. Inspector Ram Lubhaya was heading the police party. There was such terror of police at the time that no villager dared ask them why they were taking away Harpal Singh.”

“We didn’t get any clue of him. After five days, our neighbour came with a newspaper copy in which it was published that Harpal was killed in an encounter near village Nijjar of Amritsar. We didn’t get his body, only got ashes. One day, my son came to my dream and told me those ashes were not of his. Harpal was a baptised Sikh and it must be the reason he was chosen for the fake encounter,” said Kaur, who is a heart patient.

Kaur’s husband had died in 1984 due to heart attack.

Malkiat Singh said, “I was deployed with ITBP at that time and had married with Rajbir Kaur (Balwinder’s daughter) just five months back. There were no telephone at that time. I and my wife came to know about it only after he was dead. I had no time to use my ITBP contacts to save his life. Later, I came to know he was tortured at the infamous detention centre at Mall Mandi in Amritsar before being killed.”

“We never hoped we would get justice. Then one day, an activist came to our home and collected the information. They themselves filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and a case was initiated,” he said.

“I wish Ram Lubhaya (the main accused in the case who died during the trial) were alive to hear this judgment. Anyways, at least it has been proved that my son was innocent,” said Balwinder Kaur.
The family fears the attempts by the state government and the Punjab Police to get relief for the convicted policemen may undo the justice given by the court.

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Malkiat Singh said, “There are media reports that the Punjab government and the Punjab Police are approaching the central government to get relief for such police officers who are convicted in human rights violation cases. If it happens, then these two accused, who killed a 15-year-old boy, will also be saved.”

Kamaldeep Singh Brar

Kamaldeep Singh Brar is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, primarily covering Amritsar and the Majha region of Punjab. He is one of the publication's key reporters for stories involving the Akal Takht, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and the sensitive socio-political issues of the border districts. Core Beats & Specializations Religious & Panthic Affairs: He has deep expertise in the internal workings of the Akal Takht and SGPC, frequently reporting on religious sentences (Tankhah), Panthic politics, and the influence of Sikh institutions. National Security & Crime: His reporting covers cross-border drug smuggling, drone activities from Pakistan, and the activities of radical groups. Regional Politics: He is the primary correspondent for the Majha belt, covering elections and political shifts in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Gurdaspur. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His work in late 2025 has been centered on judicial developments, local body elections, and religious controversies: 1. Religious Politics & Akal Takht "Akal Takht pronounces religious sentences against former Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh" (Dec 8, 2025): Covering the historic decision to hold the former Jathedar guilty for granting a pardon to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in 2015. "YouTube suspends SGPC’s channel for a week over video on 1984 Army action" (Nov 20, 2025): Reporting on the digital friction between global tech platforms and Sikh religious bodies. "As AAP govt grants Amritsar holy tag, a look at its fraught demand" (Nov 28, 2025): An analytical piece on the long-standing demand for declaring Amritsar a "holy city" and its political implications. 2. Crime & National Security "Mostly Khalistanis on Amritpal’s hit list: Punjab govt to High Court" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on the state government's claims regarding jailed MP Amritpal Singh orchestrating activity from prison. "Punjab man with links to Pakistan’s ISI handlers killed in encounter" (Nov 20, 2025): Detailing a police operation in Amritsar involving "newly refurbished" firearms likely sent from across the border. "15 schools in Amritsar get bomb threat emails; police launch probe" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering the panic and police response to mass threats against educational institutions. 3. Political Analysis & Elections "AAP wins 12 of 15 zones in SAD stronghold Majitha" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant shift in the 2025 rural elections where the Akali Dal lost its grip on a traditional fortress. "Tarn Taran bypoll: woman faces threats after complaining to CM Mann about drug menace" (Nov 9, 2025): A ground report on the personal risks faced by citizens speaking out against the illegal drug trade in border villages. "AAP wins Tarn Taran bypoll, but SAD finds silver lining" (Nov 14, 2025): Analyzing the 2025 assembly by-election results and the surprising performance of Independents backed by radical factions. 4. Human Interest "Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims" (Nov 20, 2025): A tragic investigative piece about parents selling an infant to fund their addiction. "Kashmiri women artisans debut at Amritsar’s PITEX" (Dec 8, 2025): A feature on financial independence initiatives for rural women at the Punjab International Trade Expo. Signature Beat Kamaldeep is known for his nuanced understanding of border dynamics. His reporting often highlights the "drug crisis in the underprivileged localities" (like Muradpur in Tarn Taran, Nov 9, 2025), providing a voice to marginalized communities affected by addiction and administrative neglect. X (Twitter): @kamalsbrar ... Read More

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