Kotkhai man held for assaulting constable after asked not to smoke in public place

The police have arrested a person for allegedly assaulting constable Sunil in Shimla after he was asked to not to smoke at a public place. The accused has been identified as Sandeep, a resident of Kotkhai tehsil in Shimla district.

According to the police, the incident occurred in Sanjauli on Tuesday night when the accused was smoking a cigarette and the constable told him to not to do so in a public place, as it was an offence. Sandeep first agreed not to smoke, threw away the cigarette and left the spot, but returned after a few minutes and assaulted the constable under the influence of liquor. He then fled after injuring the constable but the police nabbed him.

The police said that a case under Section 121 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant), 132 (using criminal force against a public servant to prevent them from performing their duty) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of their public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, had been registered against the accused and an investigation was underway.

The police condemned the assault on the constable and said that the matter was being dealt with seriously. They revealed that the accused was under the influence of alcohol when he assaulted the constable.