SSP marks inquiry as agitated villagers block road in Batala

BATALA: An inquiry has been marked by Batala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Opinderjeet Singh Ghumman in the case where clothes of two women were allegedly torn by the Civil Lines station house officer (SHO) on Thursday.

The officer, Prabhjot Singh, had reportedly barged into the house of one Usha Rani of Gokuwal and “assaulted her and her sister-in-law Kuljeet Kaur”.

On Friday, residents of Gokuwal held a protest against the Batala police on Dera Baba Nanak road and blocked the traffic for at least two hours.

It has been alleged that the SHO entered the Usha Rani’s residence by scaling a wall and forced her to vacate the house. When Usha denied, he “manhandled her and her sister-inlaw”.

“He even snatched our mobile phones in which we had recorded his act. There was no woman police constable accompanying him when he entered the house,” Kuljeet claimed.

“He even threatened me of killing my children and registering a fake case against us if we did not vacate the house within 24 hours,” she added.

“It was only after few neighbours gathered outside our house that he left the spot,” Kuljeet said.

When contacted on phone, SHO Prabjot Singh refused to comment and hung up.

SSP Ghumman said after getting information about this incident, he marked an inquiry with deputy superintendent of police (DSP-city) Parladh Singh. “Action will be taken against the guilty after investigation,” he added.

Meanwhile, the DSP said one Sonia Sandhu of Greater Kailash colony had made a complaint regarding a property dispute on the helpline number following which, the SHO had gone there to investigate the matter.

“He found that Usha Rani and few others were assaulting Sonia. We will investigate the matter thoroughly and take appropriate action,” he added.