Video showing youngsters calling liquor ‘amrit’ leads to huge protest

LUDHIANA: Accusing police inaction on their complaint, members of Baba Budha Dal, Mullanpur Damdami Taksal, Batala, staged a protest on Jagroan bridge, leading to a huge traffic jam on Tuesday evening. The complaint was given against a video of a group of nearly 10 youngsters, which has gone viral on social media.
In the clip the youths are seen drinking liquor and calling it ‘daru di chabeel’ and ‘amrit’. The youngsters, including turbaned one, are also seen raising slogans of ‘Khalistan murdabaad’, ‘Hindustan zindabad’ while drinking liquor and ‘Jo bole so nihal, sat sri akal’ while opening a liquor bottle.
Charanjeet Singh, member of Budha Dal, Mullanpur, said: “We got this video on Monday with an information that the youngsters in the video go to a gym in Janakpuri area. On Monday evening, we reached that gym, where the owners identified some youths. Thereafter, we reached Janakpuri police station to lodge a complaint. There, our statements were recorded around 11pm and the police assured that an FIR would be lodged by 11am. On Tuesday, when we reached the police station, the cops started giving excuses. They started asking us to go to another police station. The police made us roam here and there and at 5pm, they only lodged a complaint and not an FIR. Thereafter, we staged a protest at Jagraon bridge seeking justice,” he added.
Another agitator Pardeep Singh said: “A scooter parked in the house, where the video is made, has been clearly captured on camera. That scooter belongs to a resident of Field Gunj. Despite this information, the police has not done anything and rather harassed us.”
He further said that: “These youths have hurt our religious sentiments. Raising slogans of ‘Jo bole so nihaal, sat sri akal’ while opening a bottle and calling liquor as ‘amrit’ is a huge dishonour and insult. They must get punishment for what they have done.”
The protest started around 5.30pm. The protesters sat on the main chowk of the bridge and blocked the road, which connects Vishkarma Chowk with Jagraon bridge and Field gunj to Mata Rani Chowk, resulting in a huge traffic jam, leaving commuters hassled. Later, Youth Akali Dal leader Gurdeep Singh Gosha also joined the protest. Following this information, police officials reached the spot. The officials have taken the representatives of protesters to the residence of Commissioner of Police Sukhchain Singh Gill.
The additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-1) Gurpreet Singh Sikand said: “These are mere allegations. There are two-three groups of complainants those were going to different police stations. We in fact asked them to lodge a complaint at one police station. The police are registering a case now,” added Sikand.
The protest was still going on till the filing of the news. An ambulance also got stuck in the traffic jam. However, protesters allowed it to move.