Six held for illegally transporting workers

BATHINDA: Mansa police arrested six persons, including five bus drivers and one owner, for illegally transporting migrant workers to Uttar Pradesh.

The accused are Paramjeet Singh of Chahal bus service, Bunty Seth, Balbir Singh and Jasbir Singh of Noor Chahal bus service; Gomy Singh of Jogi Peer bus service and Amrik Singh of Bhai Behlo transport.

The police have also booked bus company owners Surinder Kumar, Harminder Singh, Balkaran Singh and Manpreet Singh.

Mansa SSP Narinder Bhargav said the accused were taking labourers to UP after charging an exorbitant fare. During checking, a police team recovered fake curfew passes claiming to be issued by additional district magistrate of Bathinda. The buses were packed beyond capacity.

The SSP said there were 150 men, 80 women and 115 children in the buses. However, all of them were screened and sent to their respective native places by the administration.

An FIR was registered under sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged), 120-B , etc of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).