Clash: 20 SAD workers booked for murder bid

At least six persons were injured in Monday’s clash between Congress and Akali workers

Police have booked 20 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers on charges of attempt to murder in connection with a clash between Akali and Congress workers during the Bhai Rupa Agriculture Cooperative Society elections on Monday.

On the complaint of Sukhtej Singh (52), a Congress worker from Bhai Rupa, the police have booked 15 SAD workers by name, including Bhai Rupa nagar panchayat president Gurmail Singh (55) and his father Satnam Singh Bhai Rupa, in his seventies, while the rest of the accused are unidentified.

The case was lodged under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act at the Nathana police station.

Sukhtej had suffered a bullet injury on his shoulder which he claimed to have sustained during Monday’s clash that had left at least six persons injured.

AKALI DELEGATION DEMANDS PROBE

A SAD delegation led by former Punjab minister Sikander Singh Maluka met Bathinda range inspector general of police MF Farooqui and Bathinda senior superintendent of police (SSP) Navin Singla demanding a probe into the incident.

Maluka said the SAD workers have been framed in the case at the behest of the Congress as no firing took place in the clash. He said the injured man shot himself to frame Akali workers. He said thae Congress captured the cooperative society forcibly by not letting polls take place. w