26 held for opposing anti-encroachment drive in Faridkot

Faridkot, June 23

In its move to free panchayat land from alleged encroachment, the Faridkot police today evening rounded up 26 persons, including 12 women from Seda Singh Wala village of Bajakhana subdivision of the district.

Accompanying Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leglislator Amolk Singh, a heavy police force landed in Seda Singh Wala village under the supervision of Sub-Divisional Magistrate. The police asked over 20 families which had been in possession of about 18 acres of panchayat land for the last many years to vacate the land. The encroachers had been using the land for agricultural purpose.

Those in possession of the land opposed the team, forcing the police to detain all of them. The protesters were taken them to the Civil Lines. Faridkot Senior Superintendent of Police Avneet Kaur Sidhu said the police were helping the civil administration in taking the possession of the land if there is any opposition as per the state government directions. The rural development department had launched a drive to remove encroachments on panchayat land last month.

The SSP said some preventive arrests were made to maintain public tranquility. Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal has already clarified that the AAP government would get the encroached land across the state freed from illegal occupation so that it could be leased out for agricultural purposes.