Gurdaspur, September 11: Two security guards of Congress MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra sustained injuries when they were attacked by SAD workers in the District Administrative complex (DAC) on Monday.
About 50 Akali workers, led by former legislator Gurbachan Singh Babbehali and his son Amarjot Singh Babbehali, were sitting in the waiting room of the SDM when they started abusing a Congress worker, Manpreet Singh of Jiwanwal Babri village.
The SAD loyalists were carrying swords and other sharp-edged weapons. They also entered into a verbal duel with Pahra’s brother Baljeet Singh Pahra. The duel turned into a scuffle, following which Bhupinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh sustained injuries. MLA Pahra claimed that several attempts were made to snatch the AK-47 rifles of his security men.
SSP Swarandeep Singh said the police were investigating the reasons that led to the clash. “An FIR will be filed after a senior officer, who has been deputed by me to hold an inquiry, submits his report. There was a minor clash and now the issue has been resolved,” he said.
Pahra claimed that CCTV cameras had been installed in the complex and it was clear that SAD workers had forced their way in with the weapons. “The police should look at the CCTV footage and file a case against Babbehali and his loyalists. They created a lot of trouble and even abused my father Gurmeet Singh Pahra,” said the MLA.
GS Babbehali could not be contacted for his comment.
In Ferozepur, Additional Deputy Commissioner Gurmit Singh Multani had a narrow escape when a youth, identified as Sukhdev Singh, took out his revolver inside his office during the scrutiny of nomination papers.
The incident took place on Monday when the ADC rejected the papers of Congress candidate Gurbhej Singh Tibbi, Secretary, AICC. Sources said Sukhdev, who is related to Tibbi, took out the revolver in a fit of rage as he got enraged over the rejection of Tibbi’s papers. He was immediately overpowered by policemen present on the spot. Both Tibbi and Naseeb Singh Sandhu, who is close to Cabinet Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, had filed papers from Jodhpur block of Ferozepur.
Tibbi claimed his papers were rejected under political pressure on flimsy grounds and when demanded an explanation, he was confronted by some people that led to the melee. He alleged that Sukhdev was whisked away by the police without any fault.
Naseeb claimed that he had no role in getting anyone’s papers rejected.
The ADC said: “The papers were rejected as the candidate was residing in a house that was constructed illegally on village panchayat land regarding which a notice had already been issued to him.”
In Bathinda, a clash broke out between SAD and Congress workers outside the BDPO office at Bhikhi in Mansa district during the scrutiny of nomination papers for the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls.
The BDPO office’s glass door got damaged and the turban of Akali worker Balwinder Singh was tossed during the melee. Balwinder is the husband of a SAD’s covering candidate Paramjeet Kaur. The police intervened in time and prevented the situation from turning ugly.
The police said neither of the two sides has lodged any report regarding the clash. The scuffle broke out after an argument between the two sides over some issue during the scrutiny of nomination papers. Later, Balwinder Singh said he was there to get his wife’s papers examined when some Congress workers attacked him. Bhikhi SHO Mohan Lal said they would initiate necessary action on receiving a complaint.
Source Tribune India
