Congress councillors allege lathicharge

The Ludhiana police this evening rounded up four Congress councillors who were protesting along with area residents against the closure of the different road cuts on Hambaran Road. The police, according to the allegations of residents and even the councillors, also lathicharged the residents and the councillors in which more than a dozen persons were injured.

Councillors Gurpreet Singh Gogi, Balkar Singh Sandhu, Maharaj Singh Raji and Dr Jaiparkash along with area residents were asking the traffic police not to close the road cut in front of the Kali Mata Mandir on Hambaran Road. The issue took an ugly turn and the residents started protesting against the police, due to which the police allegedly resorted to a lathicharge and even rounded up all the councillors. Later they were released without the registering of any case.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ashish Chaudhary, however, stated that the police did not resort to any lathicharge and, instead, a few residents were 'pushed' as they were obstructing the work of the cops.

Gogi, Balkar and others alleged, "We were dragged by our collars and lathicharged along with residents. This shows the highhandedness of the ruling government and its police officials," stated Balkar Singh. He charged that his shirt was also torn during the alleged lathicharge.

They added, "The police had already closed nine cuts on Hambaran Road and we requested them to leave two cuts open or give them a day's time. But the police did not agree and, instead, were very rude."

Station House Officer (SHO) Naveen Kalia was on duty. The residents sat on dharna when the police did not listen to them, claimed the councillors.

The councillors were earlier taken to Sarabha Nagar police station and later to the DCP's office.

They, along with other leaders, raised slogans in the DCP's office.

... contd.

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