SAD-BJP, Cong workers clash in front of polling station

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 19

Panic spread in front of the polling station No. 77-78 at Nauria Mal Jain School, near Bharat Nagar Chowk, on Sunday afternoon where workers of the SAD-BJP and the Congress clashed over some issue.

The BJP activists alleged that they were attacked in the presence of police officials, who remained a mute spectator. Videos of the clash, which had gone viral, were also given to the police.

While denying allegations the Congress workers said the SAD-BJP activists had attacked them and had also ransacked their party agent’s booth.

The ADCP (III), Gurpreet Purewal, along with other police officials reached the spot and started a probe.

District secretary of the BJP, Kantendu Sharma, said at around 2 pm, when one of the party activists, Vishal Gulati, went to distribute food among their polling agents, the Congress councillor from Ward No. 65, Poonam Malhotra, asked her workers to corner and thrash him.

“The Congress had already gathered over two dozen youths as they had plans to capture the booth. They started the clash just to capture the booth, but the SAD-BJP workers did not let them execute their plan,” Sharma told Ludhiana Tribune.

“When Congress workers were thrashing Gulati, I intervened to save him, but I was also attacked,” he added. How could the Congress workers enter the polling station in large numbers? Sharma quipped.

Congress worker counters allegations

Denying allegations of the SAD-BJP regarding attack on their activists, Congress worker Inderjit Indie alleged, “Rather our party worker was badly beaten up by the SAD-BJP activists. They even ransacked party agent’s booth.”

Meanwhile, councillor from Ward No. 65 Poonam Malhotra denied allegations leveled by the BJP. She said Congress workers did not attack any SAD-BJP activist.

Both the parties submitted separate complaints to the police, which launched a probe. The ADCP (3), Gurpreet Kaur Purewal, who went to investigate the matter, did not respond to repeated phone calls.