Patiala: Congress councillor’s kin assaults youth

PATIALA: A video of a Congress councillor’s brother-in-law and shopkeepers allegedly assaulting a youth here has gone viral.
The youth has been identified as Manpreet Singh. Manpreet’s father Paramjit Singh alleged Nathu Ram, the husband of councillor Maya Devi from ward number 47, and his brothers called Manpreet and his minor friends to strike a compromise over an old rivalry but later assaulted them on June 13. “They also got Manpreet tortured at a police station. Police failed to register any cross FIR on our complaint as the accused are influential,” alleged Paramjit. However, after the video went viral, Nathu Ram released CCTV footage of some men allegedly attacking his younger brother with swords. Nathu Ram said, “My brothers Pawan and Raju Kumar run a shop in Jutti Bazaar near Top Khana Mod. Pawan had stopped some persons from hitting a young man, but was assaulted with swords on June 13. Shopkeepers overpowered the accused and handed them over to police. I came to know about the incident when the accused were taken to the police station.”
No assault plaint filed: Patiala cops
P Police said some youngsters chased and caught a youth and started beating him in front of Pawan’s shop.
Police claimed Pawan intervened to stop the people from assaulting the youth, who managed to escape. Investigation officer Sukhdev Singh said.
“We have nabbed three persons who had attacked Pawan with swords. One of the main accused was Manpreet Singh. He was caught and beaten up by shopkeepers.” However, when asked if any cross case was registered against those seen beating up Manpreet and his friends in the video, Singh said, “No one had approached us with a complaint.”