Khanpur dispute: BSP leaders accuse cops of high-handedness

A special meeting was held under the chairmanship of Garhshankar BSP in-charge Ravinder Babbar at Garhshankar to protest the case registered against eight people under various sections by the police after a dispute during panchayat elections at Khanpur village.

BSP in-charge Punjab and MLA Nawanshahr Dr Nachhatar Pal, former president, BSP, Punjab, Gurlal Saila, Hardev Gulmarg and Congress leader Kulwinder Bittu also participated at the meeting.

It was said in the meeting that three candidates, Gurpreet Kaur, Kulwinder Kaur and Kulwinder Kaur, were contesting for sarpanch in Khanpur village. They alleged that when the result was declared in the evening, the election staff first declared Kulwinder Kaur victorious by 20 votes. When the villagers objected to this, the votes were counted again.

This time another Kulwinder Kaur was declared victorious by 10 votes, then the protest started again in the village, then the election staff counted votes for the third time and declared the third candidate Gurpreet Kaur victorious by 10 votes. On this, the villagers surrounded the vehicle of the election staff in protest and stopped them from leaving and started demanding the authentic result.

BSP leaders alleged that after the election staff, the SDM, Garhshankar, also ignored the people’s demand. It was alleged that after this, the police used force on the people and on the second day also went to the village and allegedly indulged in hooliganism and also allegedly took away Rs 3 lakh and jewellery from the house of an ex-serviceman.