Punjab local body polls results today

The votes in the local body polls in Punjab, a precursor to the assembly polls next year, will be counted on Wednesday. The counting of votes for the 2,252 wards of seven municipal corporations (Bathinda, Abohar, Batala, Moga, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Pathankot) and 109 councils and nagar panchayats will start at 8am and results are expected to start trickling in from most areas by noon. →P5

TARN TARAN: Police have booked five persons, one by name, for attacking a volunteer of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) near a polling station during elections for the Patti municipal council. Lakhbir Singh alias Kala of Kirtowal village is the named accused. The case has been registered after a video clip of the assault on Manbir Singh, 30, who had received two bullet injuries at his both legs, by a group had gone viral on social media.

In the video clip, Manbir is seen walking on the road when four-five car borne men approached him from the rear, alighting from a car and thrashing Manbir. When Manbir tries to flee, the accused are seen chasing him; with one of the accused pointing a pistol.

Manbir, who has been undergoing treatment from Guru Nanak Dev (GND) hospital in Amritsar, also posted a video on his Facebook page blaming the accused for assaulting him.

The case has been registered on the statement of Patti station house officer (SHO) Lakhbir Singh. The FIR reads, “The victim, who has been admitted at GND hospital’s ward number 4, had denied giving the statement, but he posted a video on his Facebook page saying that accused Lakhbir Singh had opened fire.”