High drama in Karnal as councillor held for opposing demolition drive

KARNAL:ň High drama was witnessed at the Karnal mini-secretariat on Wednesday after family members and supporters of a sitting councillor of the Karnal municipal corporation (MC) staged protests opposing his arrest.

Police have arrested Balwinder Singh, councillor from ward number 2, on charges of opposing a demolition drive launched by the Karnal MC and the district town and planning department.

The officials had reached to demolish illegal constructions in a colony constructed over six acres of land at Budhakhera village in Karnal MC limits but they had to face protests by locals and they had to stop the drive.

In the police complaint, district town planner Vikram Kumar alleged that Balwinder was leading the protesters and instigated them to oppose the demolition drive.

He was booked under Sections 114, 186, 332, 353, 427 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and was arrested on Tuesday night as his family alleged that some policemen forcibly entered his house and took him along.

On Wednesday, his family and supporters assembled outside the mini-secretariat and staged a protest against the arrest. Residents of the illegal colony staged a protest at a local police station and demanded registration of FIR against the district town planner. The protesters alleged political vendetta behind the arrest of Balwinder. The councillor’s sister Sukhwinder Kaur alleged that her brother was arrested because he always stood by the poor residents of his ward. “Police are behaving like BJP workers and have not even registered an FIR. My brother was arrested without any fault,” she added.

Kanwar Singh, in-charge of Sector 32-33 police station, said that the matter is under investigation. Police said that Balwinder was arrested for opposing the demolition drive and was produced in a local court which sent him to judicial custody.