Ex-sarpanch’s name defaced amid panchayat rivalry

The name of a former Sarpanch was found defaced on the bus stop at Dhani Shafi, near Abohar, today. The bus stop, which was inaugurated by Sunil Jakhar when he was a legislator, had been recently renovated by the current sarpanch, Seema Rani and her family.

The defacement is believed to be a result of rivalry from the recent panchayat elections, though no suspects have been identified yet. Upon hearing about the incident, MLA Sandeep Jakhar visited Dhani Shafi, where he met with the sarpanch, Seema Rani and other villagers. He condemned the act of vandalism and urged the community to put aside any differences that arose during the election.

The villagers, including Rajesh Kumar, Jasveer Singh and Sukhwinder Singh, have demanded the police take action against those responsible. They believe the defacement was a retaliatory act from opponents of Seema Rani, who won the recent panchayat elections.

The bus stop was originally constructed in 2006 during the tenure of the former sarpanch, Bachan Singh, who served from 2003 to 2013. Chandi Ram, a village resident, had donated land for the bus stop. Bachan Singh’s name was inscribed on the stone at the bus stop and on the building. Recently, Seema Rani’s family had undertaken renovations of the bus stop and the village gurdwara, which were completed in time for Diwali.

The villagers are outraged by the defacement, believing it to be an attempt to disrupt the peace following Seema’s election victory. They have called for the culprits to be identified and held accountable for their actions.