Punjab: Over 100 booked for pelting stones on DSP, 3 other cops

PATIALA: Over 100 persons have been booked by Chamkaur Sahib police in Ropar district, after they allegedly attacked the police team by pelting stones leaving four cops including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Chamkaur Sahib injured and hospitalized. The police team was attacked during their operation against illegal encroachment on Monday.
The police said that the residents who had made illegal encroachment by constructing permanent and temporary houses on the ground near SD High School Chamkaur Sahib were issued notice several times by the local civic body to vacate their houses but all fallen on deaf ears following which the Chamkaur Sahib civic body along with the police team had reached with JCB machines to demolish the illegal construction at Bangala Basti.
The police added that after the dialogue with the illegal encroachers failed the operation against encroachment started with JCB machine but the residents protested and later pelted stones on the police. The police in retaliation pelted stones on the mob however later with the intervention of duty magistrate HS Atwal the illegal encroachers were given a one-week ultimatum.
“We have booked nine identified persons and around 100 unidentified persons under various sections of IPC including a voluntary attack on public servant, obstructing them to perform the duty and sections of rioting and mischief causing damage. No arrests have been made so far however the residents were given a time of one more week to vacate the land they have illegally encroached," said Chamkaur Sahib SHO Gursewak Singh Brar.
DSP SS Virk said he was still in hospital and undergoing treatment. He said two assistant sub inspectors and a constable was also injured in the attack.
Meanwhile, the residents of Bangala Basti alleged they were living here from over 25 years and even electricity meters were installed in their houses. They said that the administration should provide them with alternate space to live first if they wanted the land to be vacated.
AAP leader from the area Charanjit Singh said that it was failure of the administration that did not stop illegal encroachment at the time it was being encroached and after a couple of years the police force is used suddenly to get the land vacated. He said the poor residents should be provided alternative space.