Nineteen-year-old Sumit Dahiya was really looking forward to February 23. He was going to participate in a kabbadi tournament in the nearby Mandora village.
“There was a prize of Rs.1.5 lakh. He was confident of winning it. He wanted to buy a new motorcycle with the money,” said Sumit’s father, Jai Bhagwan.
But, Sumit died two days before the tournament when the Army fired upon Jat protestors who had blocked the Munak Canal, which carries water to Delhi, as a part of their agitation for reservations.
Sumit’s name figured among those accused of trying to murder a government official and blocking the canal, an allegation his family vehemently denied.
As his mother clutched an award the kabbadi player had won, his father said Sumit had been the ideal child. Youngest of three children, Sumit had not been interested in academics and had dropped out of school after Class-8.
“But, he never bothered us for money. He took care of himself and even gave us money from his kabbadi earnings. He was aiming for a government job under the sports quota,” said Jai Bhagwan.
According to the family, which rears cows and farms on a small parcel of land in Mallha Majra, Sumit had gone to give his uncle, who works at the Haryana Irrigation Department as a beldar, his lunch on February 21. He left home around 2.45 p.m.
“The security forces fired thinking the protestors would run away. But, Sumit didn’t run. He had not done anything wrong. When we got his body, it had four bullet wounds,” said Sumit’s uncle, Sri Bhagwan.
Though the family insists that Sumit was not involved in the protest, a Jat organisation from Bawana in Delhi honoured him as a martyr, giving him the title of “shaheed”.
Villagers were so moved by the death that they pooled in money to pay for a memorial or “samadhi” for Sumit, said Sri Bhagwan.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Kuldeep of police post Barota, who is the investigating officer in the case, however said Sumit was named in the FIR because he had participated in the mob.
“We don’t know what the family says. The accused have been identified in the FIR for a reason,” he said.
Sumit was an ideal child… he gave us money from his kabbadi earnings... [on February 21] he had gone to give his uncle lunch
Jai Bhagwan,Sumit’s father
