Police of 3 districts in credit war over poppy husk haul

3QUINTAL POPPY HUSK WAS RECOVERED FROM A TRUCK AT BATHINDA’S PATHRALA; BARNALA AND FARIDKOT COPS ALSO MAKING CLAIMS OVER SEIZURE

FARIDKOT : Police teams of Faridkot, Barnala and Bathinda districts were at loggerheads staking claim over the seizure of 3-quintal poppy husk at Bathinda’s Pathrala on Friday.

Sources said a trap was laid by the crime investigation agency (CIA-II) teams of Faridkot and Barnala. They intercepted a truck carrying the contraband and nabbed the accused near the Punjab-rajasthan border. Three persons were arrested.

“When the police parties were on their way back, a Barnala CIA assistant sub-inspector (ASI) leaked the information to the Bathinda CIA claiming that some gangsters were travelling in the truck passing from Pathrala. Another official requesting anonymity said the Bathinda police traced the truck and the teams had a heated exchange while staking a claim on the truck.

They even hurled expletives at each other, it was learnt. The tussle went on for around two hours till Bathinda zone inspector general (IG) Mukhwinder Singh Chhina intervened and took a strong exception to the nuisance created by them.

An FIR was registered at Sangat the police station in Bathinda district.

The accused, Gurcharan Singh of Barnala, Mohammad Nasir is Malerkotla in Sangrur, were shown as arrested on Friday 23 while Sikander Singh of Sangrur district was shown as nabbed on Saturday by the Bathinda police.

A senior superintendent of police (SSP) blamed the Bathinda police for creating an unnecessary controversy. The SSP said he also tried to resolve the matter, but in vain.

Bathinda SSP Naveen Singla said some informers tipped off teams of more than one district.

IG Chinna did not respond to calls and messages.