Four held for holding Punjab cops captive

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, October 12

The Damtal police in Indora subdivision of Kangra district last evening arrested four persons wanted for allegedly thrashing and holding Bhogpur (Punjab) police personnel captive in Chhani Beli village on July 22. An FIR was registered in Damtal police station on August 10 against unidentified persons of Chhani Beli village for allegedly obstructing the Punjab Police personnel in discharging their official duty, holding them captive, thrashing them and making an attempt to snatch their arms.

Nurpur DSP Sahil Arora said the culprits were arrested last evening when they had come to the local police station to attend a community meeting. He added that after establishing their identity, the police arrested Chappar, alias Mithan, the prime accused, and his accomplices Mahinder Pal, Tony and Surjeet, all belonging to the Sansi tribe community and residents of Chhani Beli village.

Arora said that three of them were already facing court trials under the NDPS Act whereas a thrashing case was registered against Surjeet.

He added that today Mithan was produced in court that remanded him in three-day police custody while the other three were released with a notice to join further investigation in the case.

A Bhogpur police team led by ASI Jaswinder Singh had come to Damtal to take the custody of a local youth in connection with investigation in an NDPS Act case but did not inform the local police. The team called the wanted youth outside Chhani Beli village and forcibly bundled him into a vehicle to take him to Bhogpur police station. Meanwhile, irate villagers caught hold of two members of the Punjab Police team and held them captive. They released them in exchange of the detained youth. The local police secured the release of their Punjab counterparts from the villagers’ captivity.