Police on alert as AAP, Cong clash in Dera Baba Nanak

Supporters of the ruling AAP and Congress clashed with each other forcing the Batala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Mehtab Singh to rush to the incident site with a team of senior officials to control the situation.

Sporadic clashes took place in the Dera Baba Nanak SDM's office since morning even as Congress workers, aligned to Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, claimed that they were not allowed to submit their papers.

The process of submitting nomination papers for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections was underway when AAP supporters allegedly manhandled Congress workers.

A Congressman, Gurmej Singh, who was attacked when he went inside the office to file his nomination papers, claimed that apart from him, at least four or five Congressmen, all prospective candidates, were beaten up even as the police looked the other way. Gurmej's turban was taken away by his rivals. "I lost my papers and my turban. This is the handiwork of sitting Dera Baba Nanak AAP MLA Gurdeep Singh," he said.

The MLA could not be contacted despite repeated attempts to reach him.

SSP Mehtab Singh said the police were looking into Gurmej Singh's allegations. "No written complaint has been submitted to the police till yet. Hence, we cannot register an FIR. However, the situation is under control and I have placed my men at strategic places to ensure no untoward incident takes place," added the SSP.

MP Sukhjinder Randhawa blamed DSPs Joga Singh and Tejinder Pal Singh for inciting violence.

"Both these officers were sitting inside the SDM's office when my men were attacked. I will move the Punjab and Haryana High Court if these officers are not immediately placed under suspension. On several occasions, I have informed the DGP Gaurav Yadav about Joga Singh's links with gangsters but no action has been taken against him. It is high time senior officers acted and took action against these two officers. So much so, a case of hurting religious sentiments should be registered against the AAP workers who tossed away the turban of my supporter Gurmej Singh," said Randhawa.