Kala Singh's death has kicked up a controversy, as his relatives have alleged that he died in police custody. After the youth's death, the villagers had staged an angry demonstration outside the Samana Civil Hospital, not allowing the post-mortem to be conducted there.

Subsequently, the body was shifted to Government Rajindra Hospital here, and a post-mortem was conducted on September 22 under the supervision of Patiala Sub-divisional Magistrate M. S. Narang, reportedly on the insistence of the villagers.

Meanwhile, district police chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu has sent a report to the secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, pointing out that it was not a case of custodial death and that the information was being sent to the Commission only by way of caution.

Sidhu said about a week ago an altercation took place between the deceased and three employees of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), Mehar Singh, Sohan Singh and Sukha Singh, over the issue of the former installing a kundi connection to steal power. Kala Singh and his wife Charan Kaur reportedly obstructed the power board employees and the latter beat up Kala Singh and Charan Kaur. Subsequently, Kala Singh fled his house out of fear.

On September 21, Kala Singh reportedly apologised to the power board employees at a meeting of the panchayat, but the employees refused to reach a compromise and in the meantime somebody informed the Shutrana police post.

Sidhu said two policemen approached Kala Singh and told him to accompany them in connection with the complaint of the power board employees. After 15 to 20 minutes, Sarpanch Jassa Singh was informed through a telephone call at his residence that Kala Singh had taken some poisonous substance and had been taken to the hospital. The sarpanch was asked to reach the hospital.

The police maintain that Kala Singh told his brother Amar Singh in the hospital that he had taken a pesticide tablet because of harassment at the hands of the power board employees. On the advice of a doctor, Kala Singh was shifted to a private hospital at Patran and died while being shifted to the Samana Civil Hospital.

The police maintain that a case under Section 306 of IPC has been registered at the Patran police station on a complaint by Amar Singh against the three power board employees.