One killed, 3 injured in firing as nihangs clash over dera control
BABA BAKALA INCIDENT Officials say cops present at Dera Nihang Ajit Singh Poohla have a close shave, claim those present there fired in self-defence when attacked by 40 members of Rania faction in wee hours
The dera belongs to Rania who is the successor of Poohla. Our nihangs went to the dera in the morning when those present inside the dera opened firing on us.. GURCHARAN SINGH, member of Ranjit Singh Rania faction
AMRITSAR:ONE person was killed and three were injured in firing during a clash between two groups of nihangs over the possession of a dera at Baba Bakala town of the Amritsar district in the wee hours of Monday.
Police said the clash took place at 3.30am when a group of 40 nihangs led by Ranjit Singh Rania attacked the Dera Nihang Ajit Singh Poohla and tried to take possession of it.
The Rania faction has identified the deceased as Sukhraj Singh of Lohar village while the injured are Tejpal Singh and Satnam Singh of Baba Bakala town, and Harjit Singh of Basrawa village in Gurdaspur district.
A police team, which was there at the dera, had a close shave in the firing, a senior official said, adding that 50 rounds were fired from both sides.
“The police team had a close shave as firing was indiscriminate. Another team led by Baba Bakala deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Harkrishan Singh reached the spot and arrested 10 nihangs of the Rania group. Rania along with his supporters, all armed to the teeth, reached the dera and started firing. The dera men opened fire in retaliation,” superintendent of police (operations) Shailendra Singh said. Three rifles were recovered from them.
Currently the dera, which was the residence of Ajit Poohla, is in the possession of Poohla’s octogenarian mother Surinder Kaur, sister Paramjit Kaur and her son Dilpreet Singh Dimpy.
“A mob of nihangs reached the dera and started indiscriminate firing. A team of police was also present in the dera apprehending the attack as we had already lodged a complaint against Rania. The police team also retaliated,” Dimpy said.
About the dera men’s role in the firing, as claimed by the police, Dimpy said, “We have weapons, but we didn’t open fire as the police personnel were there for our protection.”
He said, “Rania was a rival of Poohla and now he has been claiming to be his successor. Rania had once filed a complaint against Poohla for issuing him life threat. A property dispute between Rania and Poohla’s mother is already pending in a revenue court in Chandigarh.”
Gurcharan Singh, a member of the Rania faction, said, “The dera belongs to Rania who is the successor of Poohla. Our nihangs had gone to the dera on
Monday morning when those present inside the dera opened firing on us. No one from our side opened firing. Of the four of our nihangs injured in the firing, one succumbed due to excessive bleeding.”
”The police are not taking action against those who opened fire,” he alleged.
DSP Harkrishan said as per the initial reports, three persons were injured in the incident, but they have not got “any written information” from the health department in this regard.
Rania claims himself to be the chief of Nihang Tarna Dal (Missal Bhai Taru Singh) after the death of Ajit Singh Poohla. The self-proclaimed leader of Tarna Dal, Poohla, was notorious for alleged brutal killing of family members of Sikh militants besides rape of women. In 2008, he was burnt alive in the Amritsar jail.
The police have registered a case against Rania and his supporters under Sections 307 (murder attempt) 452 (house trespass), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 458 (housebreaking by night after preparation for hurt), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act.
SP Shailendra said no one from the Rania group has lodged a complaint against the rival faction so far.
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