2 held for attacking cops during raid

Abohar, December 29

The police today nabbed Sher Singh alias Shera and Ranjeet Singh of Kattianwali village in connection with a case registered under Sections 307, 353, 136, 427, 148 and 149 of the IPC and 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.

More than 24 persons had attacked a police team which had raided the banks of a sub-canal near Chanankhera village under Balluana segment on December 16. The miscreants escaped under covering fire.

The area is considered a “safe haven” for illegal liquor distillation and scores of ‘bhattis’ had been destroyed in previous raids.

The Fazilka police had on numerous occasions raided Chanankhera near here and Mahalam village in Jalalabad. They had seized thousands of litres of ‘lahan’ (raw liquor) in the past decade, but these illegal activities have continued.

Head Constable Nirmal Singh of the CIA Staff had stated that armed miscreants attacked the raiding policemen and damaged their van before fleeing. “They attacked and beat us. They also tried to shoot us,” he said.

Some of the assailants were identified as Raju, Sandeep Singh, Jaggi, Lakhu, Kuldeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Sher Singh, Veerpal, Ranga alias Kuldeep, Baj Singh, Harnek Singh, Bittu, Kamal alias Lovely and Jolly. Most of them belong to Kattianwali village in Malout sub-division. There are 13 more on the list. — OC