Mob hurls stones at police station after ‘detention’ of complainant in firing case
AMRITSAR: An angry mob on Tuesday attacked the Chheharta police station over the alleged detention of the complainant in a firing case, which took place at Guru Ki Wadali area in Chheharta on Sunday night.
As per the information, Chheharta police had booked five persons, including two by name— Akash Masih and Manpreet Singh of Guru Ki Wadali—for allegedly opening fire at Harmanpreet Singh’s house in the same area, on Monday.
19-year-old Harmanpreet had stated in his complaint: “On Sunday at 10.30pm, I, along with my family members, was present at home when the accused came outside our house and started abusing us. We got panicked and went to the rooftop. The accused pelted our house with bricks. One of the accused opened four to five fires from his pistol.”
The accused were booked under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 25-54-59 of the Arms Act.
On Tuesday morning, a mob of around 50 people, including the kin of Harmanpreet, gathered outside the Chheharta police station and started raising slogans against the police for ‘not taking action’ against the accused. After some time, the mob attacked the police station with stones. As the mob turned violent, the police locked the outer gate of the police station. No policeman, however, was injured in the incident.
Harmanpreet’s grandmother Amrik Kaur alleged that instead of arresting the accused, who opened fire at their house, police have detained her grandson. “Harmanpreet has been detained since morning and we are forced to sit in the police station. We are being deliberately harassed by the police,” she added.
Chheharta station officer Harish Behal said, “We had called the complainant for questioning in the case. However, the family members and some people of Guru Ki Wadali thought that we had arrested him. Due to the confusion, the mob attacked the police station.”
He said they are investigating the case and soon action will be taken against those who attacked the police station.
Till the filing of the report, Harmanpreet’s grandmother said her grandson was still in the police custody. She said, “No action has been taken against the accused who opened firing at us, with an intention to kill.”
The police haven’t registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused, who are being sheltered by the cops, she further alleged.
This is the second case in two days when an angry mob had attacked a police station in Amritsar. On Sunday night, a mob had pelted Gate Hakima police station with stones, in which two policemen were injured. The mob had alleged that a local Congress leader had died in the police custody hours after being rounded up for questioning from Sultanwind area of Amritsar.