2 Akali leaders caught with ‘detonators’

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 14

The police are baffled over the recovery of 10 “detonators” from an accident-hit car that belongs to two Akali leaders from Lambi (Muktsar), the home constituency of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The two leaders — Kulwinder Singh, former sarpanch of Ratta Khera village in Muktsar, and his brother Lakhwinder Singh — have been detained for questioning.

Though Additional Director General of Police (Law & Order) Rohit Chaudhary described the “detonators” as firecrackers, investigators said the recovery was mystifying.

Colonel Sukhcharan Singh (retd), Chief Security Officer of Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant at Lehra Mohabbat town of Bathinda where the accident took place late on Thursday night, however, refuted the ADGP’s claim saying he saw “detonators” in the car. Colonel Singh had informed the police about the presence of “detonators” in the car of the two Akali leaders who were reportedly returning from Chandigarh after meeting the CM. “Around 5.30am, I noticed two bundles of 10 wires — five in each bundle — attached with batteries lying in the car. A security guard also noticed it. Sensing trouble, I called up Superintendent of Police (city) Des Raj,” he said.

 The two leaders reportedly carried a pistol.

 “They seemed to be under the influence of liquor. They said if anyone came near their vehicle, he/she would be blown off,” said a local resident on the condition of anonymity.

Besides Kulwinder and Lakhwinder, the police have detained taxi driver Gurjant Singh and a thermal plant employee, Sukhmandar Singh, for “helping” the duo reach the Bathinda Circuit House, adjacent to the official residence of the Deputy Commissioner.

Senior Superintendent of Police Indermohan Bhatti, whom the duo called up after the accident and sought security cover, said he knew them and nothing incriminating was recovered from their car.

The leaders had reportedly asked the taxi driver to remove the registration plates of their car claiming it was not insured, but the driver refused to do so as he was not carrying required tools. “The rear windscreen of the leaders’ car was intact at night, but was found smashed in the morning. Both number plates are also missing,” another villager said.

Though senior policemen tried to “brush the incident under the carpet”, it turned into a major case after the entire police force along with ADGP (Law and Order) Rohit Chaudhary from Chandigarh, Bathinda Range IG Balvir Kumar Bawa, DIG Mohnish Chawla, SSP Indermohan Bhatti and two Army teams arrived at the CIA police station.

A case has been registered at the Nathana police station.