Dhaba owner, 2 sons booked for attacking raiding health team

AMRITSAR: The Kathunangal police of the district on Friday booked six people, including the owner of Family Dhaba at Adda Gopalpura in the Majitha constituency and his two sons, for allegedly attacking a district health officer (DHO) and his team members when they went there to take samples of food items.

The police identified the dhaba owner as Ramesh Kumar of Verka while names of his two sons and three employees are yet to be ascertained.

In his complaint with the police, district health officer Dr Lakhbir Singh Bhagowalia said he, along with his team and a health inspector, went to the dhaba for taking food samples. “When we started inspecting the food items, the accused started opposing us,” he said.

The DHO said when they asked the Dhaba owner to show his eatery’s licence, he started abusing and threatening them by taking names of some influential political leaders of Amritsar.

He said, “The accused started throwing boiling vegetables at us. Ramesh’s sons started chasing us with sharp-edged weapons in their hands and we had to run and take shelter in a nearest dhaba.” The DHO said he made a call to SSP Parampal Singh and explained the situation to him. “After 15-20 minutes, a police team reached the spot, but the accused abused and threatened us in front of the police team as well,” he said.

Investigation officer, ASI of Kathunangal police station, Amanjit Singh, said after arresting the dhabha owner and others, a case under sections 353, 186 , 506, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the six accused.

“Raids are being conducted to arrest the absconding accused,” he said.