M A I N   N E W S

Mann’s staff, cop lock horns over traffic rule violation
Varinder Singh
Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 4
After high drama which lasted at the Phagwara police station for about three hours, two gunmen, a driver and a supporter of Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), who were travelling in Mr Mann’s car, were booked for allegedly illegally detaining a traffic police Head Constable after he tried to stop the vehicle, which had allegedly jumped the red light on the Jalandhar-Ludhiana- Phagwara GT Road this evening.

Mr Mann, who was returning from Amritsar after meeting the Akal Takht Jathedar, was reportedly on his way to his native Talania village when the incident took place at around 4.45 p.m. at the traffic lights near Phagwara’s Civil Hospital, where Head Constable Kulwinder Singh was on traffic duty.

There were two different versions. According to the police, Head Constable Kulwinder Singh had whistled and indicated Mr Mann’s driver to stop after observing that the vehicle had jumped the red light, while supporters of Mr Mann, who were accompanying him at the Phagwara police station, alleged that the Head Constable had used his “danda” without any rhyme or reason to stop Mr Mann’s vehicle which had not jumped the traffic light.

Irked over the stopping of the vehicle by the Head Constable, Mr Mann’s two gunmen, Mr Sukhwant Singh and Balwinder Singh, and driver, Mr Hardip Singh, and Mr Rajinder Singh Fauji, the Phagwara unit president of the SAD(A), allegedly bundled Mr Kulwinder Singh into their vehicle and took him to the police station, where they urged the police officials on duty to make the Head Constable undergo a medical examination as they apprehended that he had “misbehaved” as he was under the influence of liquor.

Realising the seriousness of the matter, particularly because of the alleged involvement of an MP in an unsavoury controversy, Mr R.N. Dhoke, Kapurthala SSP, directed the Phagwara SP, Mr Harmanbir Singh, to go to the police station and investigate the matter himself. Mr Harmanbir Singh talked to Mr Mann and his supporters, including Mr Anoop Singh Minhas and Charan Singh Lohara.

Earlier, after much persuasion, the police officials, who were of the view that the Head Constable was treated in an unlawful manner by the MP’s men, made Mr Kulwinder Singh undergo a medical test at the Civil Hospital, the outcome of which later proved that he was not under the influence of liquor at that time. After registering protest against the registration of a case against his gunmen, driver and his supporter, Mr Mann, however, finally left the Phagwara police station at around 7.35 p.m.

Talking to The Tribune from Kapurthala, Mr Dhoke said on the basis of a statement of the traffic Head Constable, a case has been registered against the two gunmen, and a driver of Mr Mann and against Mr Rajinder Singh, under Sections 353, 186 and 342 of the IPC (assault and illegal detention of public servant and causing hinderance in his way of discharging official duty). He said there was no question of the constable being under the influence of liquor. Since the offence was bailable, all the accused were released on bail, granted on the basis of personal bonds. Mr Dhoke said no traffic constable wielded any “danda” and hence the allegations levelled by Mr Mann’s men were baseless and unfounded.

Our Correspondent adds from Phagwara: While Mr Anoop Singh Minhas and Mr Charan Singh Lohara, general secretary of SAD (A), claimed at 7.30 pm on Saturday that things had been settled after the police expressed regrets over the issue. SP Harmanbir Singh Gill told the waiting newsmen, after Mr Mann and others had left, that a case had been registered under Sections 342, 353, 186 of the IPC against Mr Gurdip Singh, driver, Mr Balwinder Singh and Mr Sukhwant Singh, Gunman of Mr Mann, and Mr Rajinder Singh Fauji, Central Working Committee member of the party on the charge of wrongful confinement, assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duties and obstruction of a public servant in discharge of his public duties.

Heated exchanges took place between Mr Mann and Mr Gill at the police station. Party leaders, Mr Minhas and Mr Lohara, alleged that Mr Gill queered the pitch with his behaviour. Mr Mann’s vehicle had not jumped the red light and there was no reason to hit the vehicle with a stick, they argued. But the Head Constable denied that he carried any stick.

Mr Mann claimed that he had done the duty as a responsible citizen by bringing a wayward Head Constable to the police station in a peaceful manner and by demanding action against him. The party activists raised slogans when Mr Mann left the police station.