Clashes in Bathinda, Mansa over free liquor

Bharat Khanna

Tribune News Service

Bathinda/Mansa, February 3

Robby Brar, AAP youth coordinator of Rampura, was allegedly shot at in the thigh in the wee hours today. He is undergoing surgery at a hospital at Bathinda. The police are yet to record his statement.

AAP Rampura Phul candidate Manjit Singh Bitti claimed that Robby was attacked by SAD leader and former Market Committee chairman Parveen Kansal alias Rocky, the “right hand” of Rampura Phul SAD candidate Sikander Singh Maluka.

He alleged, “Our youth incharge was shot at by Rocky and his accomplices following a heated argument that took place when our workers objected to the distribution of liquor and money among the voters. The Akalis are distributing cash and liquor openly.”

Both AAP and SAD held press conferences and blamed each other, besides holding the police responsible for the violence.

Manjit Singh Bitti alleged, “We lodged a complaint with the election observers about the Akalis distributing cash, but no one came. Then, our workers chased away the Akali workers who sped away in their cars. After hiding in a colony, they opened fire at AAP workers. 

“Akali workers then kidnapped our coordinator Robby Brar and took him to Rocky’s farmhouse where he was tortured and then shot at. The police, conniving with Akali leaders, reached the spot very late,” he alleged.

On the other hand, Rocky claimed that some goons came to his house, threatened him and pelted stones, besides opening fire. 

He said, “I informed the police, but they did not come. Many bullet shells, stones and a pressure cooker were found lying outside my farmhouse. Later, I found a man — claiming to be an AAP worker — lying injured there.”

Swapan Sharma, SSP, Bathinda, said, “Everything has been recorded on CCTV cameras. One party chased the other till the farmhouse. Then, the other party went after the first one. A clash occurred and a person got a bullet injury. No one has given us any statement. But we had taken action on merit and registered two separate cases.”

In another case, an AAP worker from Nangal Kalan village of Mansa district has alleged that he was attacked by Congress workers. He had objected to the distribution of liquor in the village on Thursday night. 

AAP worker Ajaib Singh, who is admitted at the Mansa civil hospital, said, “Congress workers, including former Congress sarpanch Jagmel Singh, his accomplices and Kala Singh, attacked me with sticks after I objected to liquor distribution.”

But Jagmel Singh claimed that there has been no fight between Congress and AAP workers. The AAP worker got into a fight with some villagers who are not Congress supporters.

SHO Kotdharmu said, “On the complaint of injured Ajaib Singh, a case has been registered against Kala Singh, a former sarpanch and an unidentified person.”

20 booked for clash

Tarn taran: In all, 12 Congress workers and eight SAD activists have been booked in connection with a clash among them in Naushehra Pannuan, 16 km from here, last evening. The police said workers of the two parties were canvassing for Patti candidates when the clash took place. Adaish Partap Singh Kairon is the SAD’s Patti candidate, while Harminder Singh Gill is the Congress nominee. OC

Liquor bottles seized 

Hoshiarpur: The district police, in three cases, recovered 137 bottles of liquor during checking. The Tanda police have recovered 126 bottles of liquor. Police Head Constable Paramjit Singh checked a car parked near the Government College in Tanda from which 114 bottles of liquor were recovered. The Tanda police also raided the house of Dharamveer in Baghiari and recovered 12 bottles of liquor. The Sadar police recovered 11 bottles. OC

Man held with cash

Ferozepur: The police recovered over Rs 12 lakh in unaccounted cash from a Toyota Fortuner on Friday. The driver, who was arrested, failed to give information about the source of the money and its owner. The police have impounded the vehicle. In another incident, 58 boxes of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor were seized from a councillor in Talwandi Bhai block. OC

Rebel Congress candidate booked

Moga: On the directions of the SDM-cum-Returning Officer Charandeep Singh, the police had registered an FIR against rebel Congress candidate Manjit Mann contesting elections in the Moga assembly constituency under section 126 of the Representation of the Peoples' Act and 188 of the IPC at the Moga City (I) police station for campaigning even after the end of the electioneering period. tns

Brawl in Gidderbaha

Gidderbaha: Congress and SAD men were involved in a brawl at Kotbhai village in Gidderbaha Assembly segment on Friday. SAD activist Birbal Singh lodged a police complaint. tns