Probe announced, villagers lift 36-hr dharna

Arun Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ropar, July 10

The protesting residents of Behrampur Zamindara village lifted their dharna this evening after the police announced that a three-member special investigation team (SIT) would look into the case.

Varinder Paul Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ropar, announced it at 6 pm at the protest site near Solakhian toll plaza following which the protesters lifted the dharna and the body of Swaran Singh was shifted to the local Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The SSP said the bus allegedly involved in the accident had been impounded and its staff would be involved in the investigation.

Experts from the state forensic laboratory have already submitted their report stating that the scooter was hit by the car. The police are now waiting for a report of the central forensic laboratory whose experts examined the spot and vehicles today.

Sources said the victim’s family was assured of a compensation of over Rs20 lakh and a job to a family member following which the protesters agreed to lift their 36-hour blockade.

The protesters had demanded that the owners of bus along with the bus driver be booked under Section 304A of the IPC. They also demanded Rs50 lakh compensation and pension for the victim’s wife and a job for a family member.

Traffic diverted towards Chamkaur Sahib

The 36-hour-long dharna by villagers led to inconvenience to thousands of commuters on the Chandigarh-Ropar road. The police had a tough time dealing with the traffic flow, which was diverted through other routes. The protesters had blocked all routes linking Ropar with Chandigarh and Morinda. The commuters had to travel via Chamkaur Sahib covering an extra distance of 15 km. Motorists mainly from other states were a harried lot. A group of pilgrims on way to Amarnath Yatra had to return from Ropar toll plaza

Villagers refuse to give passage to truckers 

Truckers plying on the Chandigarh-Ropar road were left high and dry owing to the protest by villagers that continued for almost two days. Hundreds of trucks remained stranded since Thursday morning on roads leading to the town (pic). Rajinder Singh, a truck driver, who got fly ash from Talwandi Sabo for a local industry unit, said he reached near Solakhian toll plaza at 9 am on Thursday, but the protesters did not allow him to move further. Other truckers said they were forced to sleep in their vehicles.

Cops tampered with evidence: AAP 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday released a poster (pic) of photographs showing some policemen allegedly trying to tamper with the evidence at the accident spot in Ropar. The poster caught the attention of people at the protest site. 

Politicians vent ire against Badals 

A number of state politicians addressed the protesters in Ropar on Friday. Most of them spoke against the ruling Badals. PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa appealed to the Punjab and Haryana High court to take suo mottu notice of the accident and summon Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal. He demanded registration of a case under Section 304A IPC (causing death by negligence) against all directors of Dabwali Transport. Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira said any party which got mandate in the 2017 Assembly poll must reopen the corruption cases against the Badals. He appealed to the people in villages to put hoardings "banning" the entry of Badals to their villages. AAP leader Himmat Singh Shergill said it was high time to root out dynastic rule in the state. The SAD-BJP alliance had weakened the state at every front and there was no law and order left