ASI assaulted; Army man among 2 held

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 3

Arguments over managing traffic took an ugly turn when several persons, including an Army man, equipped with iron rods and swords allegedly assaulted an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), who is the in-charge of the Gehri Mandi police chowki, near Dherekot village here on Saturday evening.

The police had to fire in the air to rescue the ASI. Two persons, identified as Gurpreet Singh of Khela village and Army man Sukhjinder Singh, alias Sonu, of Bhangwa village, have been arrested in this connection. However, their unidentified accomplices managed to flee away. Sukhjinder is posted at Chandi Mandir and he had come to home on leave.

The police have registered a case of attempt to murder and assaulting a government servant while discharging his duty against them.

Amritsar (Rural) SSP Parampal Singh said ASI Jassa Singh was going to the Gehri Mandi police chowki when he observed a traffic jam in the bazaar. The SSP said the ASI himself tried to manage the traffic and during this, Sukhjinder and Gurpreet, along with his accomplices, entered into an argument with him.

According to the SSP, the arguments soon took an ugly turn when the accused assaulted the ASI. They attacked him with iron rods and swords and tried to kill the cop by hitting them on his head, he said.

Onlookers informed ASI Balwinder Singh and other cops about the incident, who were at the chowki, and they immediately rushed to the spot. They saw ASI Jassa Singh was being thrashed by the accused, who also damaged the victim’s car.

The police team tried to save the ASI, but to no avail. Thereafter, ASI Balwinder Singh fired in the air to rescue him.

The victim was later taken to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital for treatment.

ASI Balwinder Singh said a case under Sections 307, 353, 186, 332, 333, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC had been registered against the accused. He said raids were on to nab the remaining accused.