Bootleggers thrash 2 cops in Batala

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Batala, September 2

Seven suspected liquor smugglers thrashed two constables at Haruwal village, barely 2 km from Dera Baba Nanak police station, last night.

Following a tip-off on bootlegging in the area, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harpreet Singh sent six policemen, led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Jaswinder Singh, to investigate the matter at the village around 11.30 pm.

The smugglers, who reportedly got information about the raid, ambushed the policemen, thrashing two of them even as their four colleagues ran for cover. Sources said the smugglers forced the two policemen to take off their uniforms before thrashing them. But the SSP said the raiding team was in their civvies.

On receiving information about the attack, Dera Baba Nanak Deputy Superintendent of Police Harpal Singh reached the village with reinforcements and arrested three of the smugglers.

“A case was registered against seven persons. Three of them have been arrested while four managed to flee under the cover of darkness.

We have formed teams to trace the four, who will be arrested within 24 hours,” said the SSP. He identified the main suspect as Inder Singh, said to be among the ones who fled.