CPM stops CITU leaders cremation

The killing was linked to a labour trouble at a mill at Gajsinghpur,owned by Gurdial Singh. A total of 16 persons are wanted in the case. The district authorities, when reached on the telephone last at 6.30 pm,told The Indian Express that they had not been able to persuade seniorCPI(M) leaders to facilitate the cremation of Koda whose body was handedover to his family after a post-mortem examination on Tuesday. BikanerDivision Commissioner C.M. Meena, DIG Lakshman Meena and Collector Kiran SoniGupta held several rounds of talks with CPI(M) leader Sheopat Singh and partyMLA Amra Ram but they remained adamant on the arrest of Miglani, Gurdial Singh and his son, Jaswinder Singh.

Reports said that apart from Sriganganagar, shopkeepers at Nohar, Padampur,Suratgarh, Karanpur, Kesarisinghpur, Anoopgarh and Jalesar towns observed abandh in protest against the killing. The police had to use mild force tocontrol protestors at Sriganganagar this morning when they turned violent.

The workers also burnt a tractor-trolley in Gajsinghpur today. Lathi-wielding workers stood vigil at Koda’s body in the Gol Bazar area tokeep the police at bay.

Meanwhile, state CPI(M) secretary Hari Ram Chauhan led a condolencemeeting at the party office here today, where leaders of all frontal bodiespaid their homage to Koda.