MANNAWALA (AMRITSAR), May 26: The mortal remains of Ajit Singh Sandhu, former SSP of Tarn Taran was consigned to flames with full police honours today at his farm house in Mannawala village.

Jawans of the Punjab police reversed their arms and presented a salute of honour as his son Angad Singh lit the pyre at 12.20 pm.

Sandhu's body was brought here from Chandigarh accompanied by a large number of relatives and friends.

Punjab Director General of Police P C Dogra, a number of senior police officers including ADGP M S Bhullar and Sarbjit Singh and former DGP KPS Gill laid wreaths on the body. Except for one Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) member from Tarn Taran, Alwinder Singh, no Akali leader or MLA was present at the cremation site.

Former Youth Congress president Maninderjit Singh Bitta reached there after the cremation and consoled the bereaved family.

At the cremation site, a large number of Hindu community members, who had come from Tarn Taran raised slogans of ``Ajit Sandhu amar rahe.'' Many of them surrounded Gill and recalled the days of militancy and terror when Sandhu had saved their lives.

Veteran former Akali leader Jiwan Singh Umranangal told Gill, ``You fought the battle for the nation. The police should not feel demoralised by the price they may have to pay.''

The senior police officers resented the fact that not a single minister or representative was present at the funeral. A police officer said it was disgraceful to ignore the sacrifices and achievements of the former SSP.

DGP Dogra said he had read about the allegation of murder made by Sandhu's family members in the newspaper.

When asked if any inquiry would be ordered, he said the railway police inspector general was yet to send a report to him. ``I can't say anything,'' he added.

Gill also refused to comment on the murder theory. ``It is for the police to investigate,'' he said.

Others who attended the cremation included Master Jagir Singh, Sardul Singh (former ministers), former speaker Dilbagh Singh Daleke, BJP MLA Laxmi Kanta Chawla, former president of DCC Amritsar Darbari Lal, former minister Partap Singh Bajwa and senior police officers D R Bhatti, P M Dass, S S Virk, Bakhshi Ram, G S Bhullar, Dinkar Gupta, Narinderpal Singh, Hardip Singh Dhillon, P S Gill, Arpit Shukla, Iqbal Singh and Ishwar Chander.Sandhu is survived by wife Upinder Kaur, two daughters -- Manpreet Kaur and Dilpreet Kaur - and son Angad Singh.

Meanwhile, in Chandigarh today, Punjab Health Minister Balramji Dass Tandon demanded an inquiry into the cause of death of the former SSP to ascertain whether he committed suicide or was a victim of conspiracy.

Talking to mediapersons here, Tandon observed that the statement of the mother of the deceased suspecting foul play behind the death was a serious matter and needed to be inquired into so as to clear the mystery.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.