Cop found drunk at 'sensitive' booth in Bathinda

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Chauke (Bathinda), February 25

Voters at the hyper sensitive Chauke village raised an alarm after they found a policeman on poll duty allegedly under the influence of liquor.

They alleged the head constable, Raj Kumar, could not move properly and was unable to handle his service rifle, an SLR, that kept slipping out of his hands.

Demanding action, the locals alleged politicians served liquor to policemen to help them influence voters. They said there was panic among the voters on seeing a firearm in the hands of the drunk head constable.

Bakhtaur Singh, a resident, said: “Instead of taking any action or disarming him, in charge of the police party did not take any action until a team of mediapersons brought the matter to the notice the authorities.”

Jasvir Singh, Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) who visited the polling booth ordered shifting of the head constable, who is posted at the Bhucho Mandi police post.

100% polling in Maluka village

Cent per cent polling was reported at Maluka village, the ancestral village of Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Sikander Singh Maluka. All votes were polled in favour of the Akali Dal.

Bathinda records 86.6% polling

There was 86.60 per cent polling in Bathinda, 94.58 per cent in Sangat and close to 90 per cent in Lehra Mohabbat, Kotshamir and Kotfatta villages.