Akalis ‘detain’ cops, SDM, get party workers released

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, August 16

Hundreds of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers, led by Lok Sabha member Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, who were staging a dharna in front of the police station in Chohla Sahib on Independence Day, locked up civil and police officials for hours inside the police station.

The action of SAD workers forced the administration to free 13 party workers, including six women activists, who were arrested for attacking the police station on August 14 night.

These workers, led by Devinder Singh who is SAD former sarpanch of Warian Purane village, had gone to the police station to protest the arrest of three residents of their village in connection with the killing of a villager, Bachan Singh, last year.

The residents were stressing that the arrested persons were innocent. The residents had a “heated exchange” with the policemen on duty, after which as many as 50 residents were booked under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 186 (interrupting in official duty) of the IPC among others, and 13 of them were arrested.

When Brahmpura staged a dharna in front of the police station on Tuesday, the administration sent DSP Piara Singh to talk to him, but to no avail. Later, a deputation of officials led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Rishi, SP (Investigation) Tilak Raj, SDM Amandeep Kaur and others went to talk to him.

At that time, SAD workers “locked” the doors of the police station, detaining the officials sitting inside. After hours of deadlock, the administration called party leaders and released the workers.

SP Tilak Raj said 13 party workers had been freed but three accused who were arrested in connection with the murder of Bachan Singh had not been released. He, however, denied that officials were locked up by SAD workers.