'Suspensions not enough', family to meet Punjab Governor after cops 'assault' colonel in Patiala
Days after a probe ordered by the Patiala Police, the family members of the injured Colonel claim that they are “yet to hear about the inquiry officer” who would probe the matter.
Meanwhile, social media, including ‘X’, has erupted in anger over the alleged assault on the Army Colonel, and veteran officers have decided to hold a protest in Patiala on March 22 if justice is not done.
Colonel Pushpinder Bath, currently posted at the Army headquarters in New Delhi, alleged that he, along with his son Angad Singh, was assaulted on the night of March 13.
He, along with his son, underwent treatment at the Military Hospital with multiple injuries as they were allegedly attacked by policemen posted in Patiala.
The aggrieved family members have decided to meet Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday.
“The fact that the Patiala Police have played a partisan role is clear, as even the names of the 12 suspended officers are yet to be made public. If this can happen with a serving Army officer, you can imagine the plight of the common man,” Jaswinder Bath, wife of Colonel Pushpinder Bath, adding that “We are still in the dark as to who is conducting the inquiry, as no one from the district police has briefed us,” she says. Gurtej Dhillon, BJP leader and a close relative of the Colonel family, said that their three demands are still pending.
“The complaint by Colonel Pushpinder is pending with the police, and based on that, an FIR should be lodged. Further, the 12 policemen who attacked him should be arrested,” he said.
Dhillon further said that veteran army officers are angry over the treatment meted out to a senior army officer by the police, and on March 22, there would be a dharna outside the DC office in Patiala. “Many ex-army veterans have confirmed their presence in Patiala on the date,” he said. Meanwhile, Angad Singh, who was also injured along with his father in the attack on March 13, alleges that till date, “no one from the police department has visited them, leave aside recording any statement.”
On Monday, inspectors Harry Boparai, Ronnie Singh, and Harjinder Dhillon, besides the nine other cops, mostly gunmen attached with the three, were suspended.
However, the complete list has yet not been made public. “This is no justice, as suspension is no punishment for such a brutal attack where a father and son are humiliated in front of each other, beaten with baseball bats, and kicked. I can never forget this,” said the 24-year-old Angad Singh.
Inquiry marked
On Wednesday, Patiala SSP Nanak Singh told The Tribune that he has marked the inquiry to Patiala SP (Headquarter) Harwant Kaur. On being asked about the names of the 12 suspended policemen, the SSP said that the family members of Colonel Bath would be briefed about it. Late evening on Wednesday, Harwant Kaur, when contacted, said that she is yet to get any orders pertaining to the inquiry as she was busy at Shambhu and has not attended office for the past two days.
