Amritsar: Youth stabbed multiple times at Batala road marriage resort

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, March 7

A youth was stabbed multiple times with a pointed weapon by several persons at a parking lot of a marriage resort on the Batala road here on Wednesday night. The victim, identified as Sahib Singh, was a resident of the New Amritsar area.

Ironically, the incident occurred in the presence of policemen from the Mohkampura police station. Even after the lapse of 24 hours, the police have yet to register an FIR or take action against suspects involved in the crime.

The injured was rushed to the Civil Hospital from where he was referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and then to a private hospital where he was on ventilator and had been fighting for life. A CCTV grab of the entire incident has also gone viral on social media.

The victim’s cousin, Simranjit Singh, alias Chhavi, a resident of Chheharta, alleged that he was picked up and tortured by the police. He alleged that Sahib Singh remained on the spot for hours, but the police did not bother to provide him first aid or take him to hospital. Simranjit said he was released in the midnight by the police.

Simranjit said he along with Sahib Singh had gone to attend a function at the marriage resort located on the Batala road here last night. He said when they were returning, a cop stopped them while alleging that they had received a complaint that they (victims) had indulged in a quarrel.

He said before they could understand, the police along with suspects surrounded them. Soon after, the police pulled Simranjit aside and bundled him in a car while the remaining suspects started thrashing Sahib Singh who tried to intervene. Simranjit said suspects thrashed him while cops remained mute spectators. He alleged that one of the suspects stabbed Sahib Singh multiple times with a pointed weapon. When Sahib Singh was lying on floor of the parking lot, suspects dragged him outside resort and thrashed him.

Among those who attacked Sahib Singh included Love, Shiva, Vipin, Latti and their other unknown accomplices, alleged Simranjit. When asked why suspects targeted them, Simranjit said in the marriage function they were sitting with a friend who had an enmity with suspects.

While denying allegations, Rajinder Singh, SHO, Mohkampura police station, said as suspects filed an online complaint so a police team arrived at the spot. He refuted the charge that the police were accompanying suspects. He also refuted the allegation that cops tortured Simranjit. He said an FIR could not be registered as nobody had filed a complaint in this connection.

“We are going to record the statement of victims and lodge an FIR,” the SHO said.

Dr Pragya Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (City), said prime facie, the police tried to save Simranjit from attackers during the incident. She said in the meantime, some suspects surrounded Sahib Singh and injured him.

She said as far as allegations against cops of being mute spectators and hand in glove with suspects were concerned, these would be investigated thoroughly. “If anyone is found involved, appropriate action will be taken against him as per law,” she said.