Pak-coloured flags lead to firing in Jind; one injured

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jind, December 9

The misunderstanding over Pakistani coloured religious flags has lead to firing in one person was critically wounded.

According to sources, Rajesh, a vice president of the Jind Truck Operators Union, was shot at by Jai Bhagwan, a former president of the Jind Food Grain Dealers Welfare Association (JFGDWA). The incident was the outcome of taking down and burning of two green coloured flags by some locals from the latter’s trucks.

On Monday, Rajesh had informed the police that two trucks were parked in the local truck union that were sporting Pak flags. Before the police could arrive, some locals circled the trucks and in face of stiff opposition by truck owner Jai Bhagwan, the locals forcibly removed the flags and burnt them.

However, enquiries revealed that the flags had been brought from the shrine of a peer and were not Pak flags.

Infuriated at the incident, Jai Bhagwan today reached the truck union and entered into heated arguments with Rajesh for the misinformation. But before Rajesh could react, Bhagwan pulled out a pistol and shot Rajesh in the mouth.

“The misunderstanding is the only reason for the firing. Both were quarrelling with and suddenly he fired at Rajesh,” said a driver in the local civil hospital.

Jai Bhagwan surrendered at the local Rohtak road police post near the truck operators union.

“The misunderstanding about Pak flags has led to firing as the accused took it as an insult to him. We have registered a case and conducting further investigations are on, said Jind SP Badan Singh.

Some truck drivers took Rajesh to the civil hospital but since his condition was critical the doctors referred him to the PGI, Rohtak.