Blocking road in front of DC’s house spells trouble for many

FARIDKOT: A day after some residents of Pacca village and supporters of a sarpanch candidate blocked traffic and staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence, trouble sprung up on Monday after the police nominated many of them in a criminal case for blocking the state highway and wrongfully restraining the Deputy Commissioner.

Residents of Pacca village block road in support of sarpanch candidate Ektar Singh in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence in Faridkot. File photo

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, December 31

A day after some residents of Pacca village and supporters of a sarpanch candidate blocked traffic and staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence, trouble sprung up on Monday after the police nominated many of them in a criminal case for blocking the state highway and wrongfully restraining the Deputy Commissioner.

Supporters of Ektar Singh, a candidate for the post of sarpanch in Pacca, had staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s residence on the Kotkapura-Faridkot road here on Sunday.

Accusing the district administration of playing into the hands of Congress leaders to pave way for the victory of Congress candidates in the elections, the protesters alleged that the staff at the polling station in Pacca were working as per the dictates of Congress-supported candidate, Darshan Singh.

For blocking traffic on the state highway, disturbing the movement of vehicles and restraining the DC, the Faridkot police on Monday registered a criminal case under Sections 341, 431 and 283 of the IPC and Section 8-B of the National Highway Act (Punishment for wrongful restraint, mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel, danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation) against about 20 persons, including Ektar Singh, the candidate for the post of sarpanch.

While eight persons have been nominated in the case, 12 other accused are unidentified persons, claimed the police.

The offence is punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to five years, or with a fine, or with both.

As per the police complaint, lodged by an assistant sub inspector, the dharna and blocking of the Faridkot-Kotkapura road had put the public to much inconvenience as it was the only available entry and exit route to the town. Two other entry roads to the town were closed due to construction work of bridges.

Despite a lot of persuasion by senior police officials, the accused denied to lift the dharna, alleged Gurjant Singh, the complainant in the case.