Man loses both legs in attack by villagers

A resident of Lauhuka village was beaten so severely by residents of the same village that doctors had to amputate his both legs during treatment. The victim, Ranjit Singh (33), being a marginal farmer used to drive truck to earn his livelihood. The turning point in his life has made him permanently bed-ridden. He would not be able to work in the future.

Though the incident was reported on August 28, the police didn’t take the matter seriously. The police registered case against suspects on Friday (September 21) after more than three weeks of the incident. The suspects, who severely thrashed the victim, were identified as Malkit Singh Ladi, his brothers Kuldeep Singh and Jagdeep Singh Gukhi, besides Jobanpreet Singh and Harmanpreet Singh, sons of Malkit Singh, all residents of Lauhuka village.

The police said Ranjit Singh had planted saplings in the complex of Baba Makhni Ram at Lauhuka village. The saplings were destroyed by cattle of the suspects who resided near the Baba Makhni Ram complex. Angry Ranjit Singh and his first uncle Balwant Singh went to the residence of the suspects to express resentment over damaging of plants. This provoked the suspects who attacked Ranjit Singh with sharp weapons. Balwant Singh managed to flee from the spot.

When Ranjit Singh fell unconscious, the suspects threw him on a rail track near the Lahore road in Patti. The victim’s family managed to trace him and took him to local civil hospital from where doctors referred him to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar. As the victim’s condition was serious, his family shifted him to a private hospital in Amritsar.

Victim’s wife Kanwaljit Kaur said they had spent lakhs on her husband’s treatment after borrowing money from their relatives. She said her husband would not be able to work anymore.

The Patti police registered a case against the suspects under Sections 109, 127, 191 (3) and 190 of the BNS on Friday. The negligence on the part of the police raised many eyebrows as the case was registered with much delay of more than three weeks.

Investigating officer ASI Paramjit Singh said the family approached the police yesterday only after which he investigated the matter. The victim’s family alleged that the matter was brought to notice of the police the same day. They alleged that the police delayed investigation and harassed them.