Punjab and Haryana High Court intervenes in Daljit Singh death controversy

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued directives regarding the death of Daljit Singh, a 35-year-old man from Mansa district, Punjab, whose passing has sparked significant local controversy. Following a petition by Singh’s sister, the court ordered a second post-mortem examination to be conducted at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.

Singh was found unconscious on October 27, and his family alleges he died from a suspected drug overdose. The family also accused police of forcibly seizing the body during an anti-drug demonstration and conducting an initial autopsy without their consent. While the family maintains the death was drug-related, police have registered a murder case.

After an initial court order for the cremation to take place in Chandigarh, a subsequent petition from Singh’s wife and mother led the court to revise its decision. The court ultimately permitted the cremation to occur in his native village of Bhamme Kalan, while instructing local authorities to provide adequate security for the proceedings.