AAP dist chief booked for ‘assaulting’ cop

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 17

The police on Saturday booked AAP district president Navdeep Singh Jeeda, who is also a former president of the district Bar Association, for allegedly assaulting a traffic policeman.

According to information, Head Constable Ranjit Singh accused Jeeda of being involved in a scuffle with him over one-way traffic on Ajit Road near Ghore Wala Chowk. The Head Constable alleged that Jeeda had slapped him. Police personnek present CCTV footage in this regard.

However, Jeeda denied the allegation and said he was not slapping him, but stopping the policeman from making his video. The AAP district president said traffic policeman attacked him and hit him on his nose.

Later, Jeeda was taken to the Civil Lines police station and the police got the Head Constable admitted to the Civil Hospital. As the news of incident spread, AAP workers and lawyers reached Ajit Road and the Civil Lines police station. Jeeda supporters staged a protest outside the Civil Lines police station.

Around 1 pm, the District Bar Association announced a strike and suspended the work in support of Jeeda.

Raising slogans against the SSP, a large number of lawyers gheraoed and protested in front of his office.

Addressing the protesters, District Bar Association president Kanwaljit Singh Kutti and senior advocates Jasvir Singh and Jatinder Roy Khattar alleged that the traffic policeman misbehaved and physically assaulted Navdeep Jeeda. They said his nose was bleeding and his clothes were torn. The advocates said despite that, he was taken to the police station and cops did not allow his associate to take him to hospital for treatment.

The advocates said if the issue was not resolved, they would continue to observe the strike. Apart from registering a case, all “erring” police personnel should also be dismissed, they added.

While talking to mediapersons, Jeeda said “I was going to Dhillon hospital located on Ajit Road. As I was heading towards Ajit Road from Ghore Wala Chowk, a traffic policeman standing there started misbehaving with me. Later, he started making my video. When I tried to stop him from doing so, he verbally abused and physically assaulted me.”

On the other side, Head Constable Ranjit Singh said “I stopped Navdeep Jeeda from going towards Ajit Road as only one-way traffic is allowed. The stretch is closed for traffic from 100 Feet Road, but he misbehaved with me and tore my uniform.”

SSP Dr Nanak Singh said, “We have registered a case against advocate Navdeep Singh Jeeda under Sections 186, 332, 353 and 506 of the IPC. At present, he is admitted to the Civil Hospital and is undergoing treatment. He will be arrested later.”

Later, AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhawa visited the Civil Hospital to enquire about the condition of Navdeep Jeeda in the evening. AAP’s core committee chairman and Budhlada MLA Budh Ram said party leaders and workers would protest in front of the SSP office if action was not taken against the cop.

On Monday, lawyers will hold a meeting at the Bar room to decide further course of action in the incident.