Attack on Cong councillor: One held, 5 on the run

AMRITSAR: Police on Sunday arrested one of the six accused booked for assaulting 65-year-old Congress councillor, Jeet Singh Bhatia, at Golden Avenue locality here on Friday. However, five accused are still at large.

Bhatia was slapped near his residence on Friday and the video of the incident was also shared widely on social media platforms.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-City1) Jagjit Singh Walia said, “We have arrested one of the six accused, identified as Rajvir Singh of Mohkampura, and five others, including key accused Ajay Gill of Mohkampura, who is seen slapping the councillor in the video, are absconding. Raids are being conducted to arrest the absconders.”

The other four accused are Navraj Singh aka Harry of Tarn Taran road; Mohna Pehalwan and Kahno of Shaheed Udham Singh Nagar and Tidda of Majitha road. As per Bhatia, around eight persons came up to him to complain about contaminated water supply in Maqboolpura area. “While I was talking, two of them, who had their faces covered, slapped me asking when the issue will be resolved?” he said.

Talking to HT, Bhatia said, “If police fail to arrest the accused till Monday, we will launch an indefinite protest. It is clear that the accused were hired to assault me.” Meanwhile, police sources said the attack could be politically motivated.

The accused were booked under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 379 (theft), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 148 (rioting), 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 25-27-54-59 of the Arms Act at Maqboolpura police station.