Anti-drug campaigner shot at in Tarn Taran, hospitalised; 3 booked

Tarn Taran, October 13

The Khemkaran police on Thursday booked three persons on the charge of attacking Satnam Singh, a social activist. Satnam Singh is president of the Anti-drug Association, working against the rising menace of drugs.

Satnam Singh, a resident of Manawan village, was shot at and injured on Wednesday when he was on his way back home in his car. Satnam was just a km away from his house when he was attacked by three masked men armed with pistols. He managed to escape by taking shelter in nearby paddy fields though he got injuries at his left arm. Satnam Singh with his licensed revolver too fired in the air to scare off the miscreants. He was admitted to the Patti Civil Hospital and discharged on Friday.

The victim said he had been receiving threatening calls from anti-social elements, who are running drug trade, for a long time on his mobile phone. He said that from local AAP MLA Sarwan Singh Dhunn to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and from the Khemkaran SHO to the DGP, his request for the police security fell on deaf ears.

He alleged that drugs were freely available in every nook and corner of the border area. He further says if somebody comes forward to lodge a complaint against drug trader he is not only ignored by the police but receives threats. He said the police and the state government were not serious to combat the menace of drug abuse.

The Khemkaran police have registered a case under Sections 307, 323 and 427 of the IPC and 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against the unidentified suspects. Senior Superintendent of Police Ashwani Kapur said the police were investigating from all angles.