Accused in attack on AAP MLA held

Five days after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Roopnagar Amarijit Singh Sandoa was attacked, the main accused in the case, Ajwinder Singh, was arrested on Tuesday after he surrendered before the district police chief along with a co-accused Bachitar Singh.

The arrest came a day after AAP held a statewide protest on Monday against the attack and illegal mining in Rupnagar district.

Roopnagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raj Bachan Singh Sandhu said that two key accused — Ajwinder Singh and Bachitar Singh — wanted in the case were absconding after the incident on Thursday past week.

Sandhu said that the Police had built a pressure on them and as a result, they were forced to surrender. Police was interrogating the accused about the incident, he said.

Five other persons, nominated in the FIR fled on June 21, 2018, have already been arrested. They have been identified as Jaswinder Singh Goldi, Amarjit Singh, Manjit Singh, Devinder Singh and Amrit Singh.

AAP MLA Sandoa had alleged that “sand mafia” had attacked him and his gunmen after he tried to stop an act of illegal mining.

Sandoa had entered into an altercation when he went with some of the media persons to the site where alleged illegal mining was being done using giant JCB machines. He was beaten up mercilessly by “goons of the mining mafia”, and even removed his turban and beat up a gunman accompanying him.

Minutes after the attack, it was alleged that the attackers owe allegiance to the ruling Congress party who is also in race for the post of Ropar District Congress unit president. Hours later, Sandoa’s pictures went viral on the social media sitting along with his attacker Ajwinder Singh.

A video clip and a picture of a “written” hand note, by the main accused Ajwinder Singh, was also circulated on the social media by the evening wherein he alleged Sandoa of “extorting” money from him, and the scuffle ensued when he refused to pay him more money.

Illegal mining has virtually attained a status of a menace in Punjab. Past week, five forest guard officials too received serious injuries, including two undergoing treatment at the PGI for head injuries, after they intercepted a tractor-trolley near Seonk village in Mohali.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had also sought a detailed report from Rupnagar Deputy Commissioner into the incident besides directing the state DGP Suresh Arora to investigate the role of security officers attached with the MLA in the entire episode.

Besides Sandoa, his gunman Head Constable Sukhdeep Singh was also injured in the attack which reportedly took place in the afternoon, said the spokesperson. They were taken to Civil Hospital Sri Anandpur Sahib, in Rupnagar district, from where Sandoa was referred to PGI Chandigarh for further check-up after he complained of chest pain.