Bid to crush mining GM, he blames MLA

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, November 19

A Punjab Government mining officer was allegedly beaten up, held captive and attacked inside a police station in Ghanaur today after he tried to stop a truck allegedly involved in illegal mining.

The local police initially said the mining officer was not supposed to be there and the Mining Department was not kept in the loop, though  Patiala SSP S Bhupathi later said he would check if the SHO misbehaved. “We have registered an FIR against the trolley owners and the men who attacked him.”

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As per information, General Manager, Mining, TS Sekhon — who covers Mohali, Patiala and Malerkotla —  got information that illegal mining along the Ghaggar was being carried out in Ghanaur area. When he reached the spot, a tipper truck loaded with sand crossed his vehicle. 

When he gestured to the driver to stop, he allegedly tried to mow down the officer.

“Sekhon was taken to the police station along with the driver, who allegedly attacked him. Even the police treated him as a criminal,” alleged Sekhon’s friends. Kulwinder Singh, SHO, Shambhu, said the truck driver and onlookers alleged that they saw the mining officer firing at “the truck”. 

“The officer claimed he fired in self-defence,” he said. Patiala IG AS Rai said he had sought a report from the Patiala SSP and no one in the wrong will be spared. 

Talking to The Tribune, Sekhon alleged that illegal mining in the area took place at the behest of Congress MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, due to which the police were mute spectators. 

“I informed the police and Patiala Deputy Commissioner Kumar Amit that I had stopped vehicles involved in illegal mining, but I was not given security and had to fire in self-defence,” he alleged. He added that the SHO hit him with a stick in the police station. “Now, the senior officers are pressuring me not to lodge a complaint against the SHO.”

Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur, when contacted, rubbished the allegations. “Illegal mining was rampant along the Ghaggar for over six years and now the mining officer is alleging illegal mining,” Jalalpur said, adding that he was never involved in it.