Faridkot, June 29
Members of two rival Akali groups clashed in Rupianwala village under Sadiq police station in Faridkot on Saturday in the run-up to the panchayat elections. Members of one group allegedly opened fire injuring seven supporters of Faridkot Akali MLA Deep Malhotra.

Five other persons owing allegiance to Faridkot Improvement Trust former chairman Parambans Singh and Sadiq Market Committee chairman Makhan Singh were also injured. Two of the critically injured -- Parminder Singh and Deep Inder Singh -- were shifted to the DMC Hospital at Ludhiana. Ten other members of the Malhotra and Parambans group (five each) were admitted to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital (GGSMCH) at Faridkot.

Sadiq SHO Balwinder Singh Bassi has been suspended for dereliction of duty as he did not act on the complaint of the injured. Faridkot Senior Superintendent of Police GS Randhwan said the police have registered an attempt of murder case against Balraj Singh and 30 accomplices and are searching for him.

The police are also investigating the use of fire weapons in the clash. All licenced fire weapons are deposited in police custody during the election process.

Trouble had been brewing between the groups since yesterday when members of the Malhotra group complained to the police accusing Balraj Singh, general secretary of a student organisation (SOI) playing a pivotal role in the village poll, of thrashing their members. The police allegedly soft-pedalled the case, but the incident increased tension between the groups.

Today, Balraj Singh allegedly fired at members of his rival group. The sarpanch seat in Rupianwala village is reserved for a scheduled caste woman candidate. Both groups have thrown their weight behind the main contestants, Swaranjit Kaur and Charanjit Kaur. Consequently, Rupianawala village is witnessing a tough contest between supporters of Deep Malhotra and Parambans Singh and recurring scuffles have been reported in the past one week.

Malhotra visited his injured supporters in hospital. “I have informed senior police officers about the incident. No accused, howsoever influential, will be spared,” he said.

Differences between Deep Malhotra and Parambans Singh first surfaced during the 2012 Assembly election when SAD (B) chose Malhotra as party candidate from Faridkot. Malhotra’s emergence was a blow to Parambans’ political ascendancy. The clash is said to be the fallout of this political competition for supremacy.