Goindwal Sahib: 7 of ‘illegal truck union’ held for attack

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, October 8

An illegal truck union, being run from Goindwal Sahib here, has become a headache for other goods carrier companies as its members allegedly demand “goonda tax” (illegal tax) from drivers of heavy vehicles loaded with goods.

According to reports, the illegal truck union has around 100 members, who have backing of leaders of the ruling Congress party.

Despite the fact that the state government had imposed a ban on forming truck unions, members of this union hold meetings with officials and leaders of the ruling party under the cover of ‘association’. They claim that they work just as family members and assist each other at the time of help. As the truck union had backing of ruling party leaders, the administration is unable to act against them.

The union keeps creating hurdles in the smooth functioning of entrepreneurs of the Focal Point at Goindwal Sahib.

Nerolac Paints had established its unit here. Members of this illegal union, who were armed with weapons, injured two of a Goods Transporter Carrier (company) in Goindwal Sahib on Thursday when they were coming out of the factory with the truck loaded with paint cases. Besides the truck, they also took away Rs 95,000 cash kept in the truck.

It was the second violent incident committed by the union members during the last one month.

Injured Avtar Singh and his driver Manjinder Singh of the Goods Transport Carrier were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Khadoor Sahib. They alleged that the accused had been collecting ‘gunda tax’ from goods carrier companies without any authority for the last four years.

Goindwal Sahib police had booked 24 persons for the attack under Sections 307, 379-B, 341, 506, 148, 149 and 384 of the IPC. Twelve of them have been identified and the rest are yet to be recognised.

Those identified are Sukhdev Singh, Harjit Singh, Amanpreet Singh, Jaspal Singh, Ranjit Singh, Avtar Singh, Harwinder Singh, Harjinder Singh (son of Waryam Singh), Harjinder Singh (son of Dial Singh), Amarjit Singh, Jaswant Singh of Fatehbad and Jaswant Singh Dogar of Dhunda. The other 12 nominated in the case are yet to be identified.

Inspector Navdeep Singh, SHO, Goindwal Sahib, said Sukhdev Singh, Harjit Singh, Amanpreet Singh, Jaspal Singh, Avtar Singh, Ranjit Singh and Harwinder Singh had been arrested and the truck too recovered from their possession.

Entrepreneurs of Goindwal Sahib say the nuisance created by members of the illegal union has created terror among them as they had already faced heavy losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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