Moga civil polls: Two killed in violence during campaign

TWO PERSONS were killed and two others were injured in a clash between Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers campaigning for civic polls in ward no. 9 of Punjab’s Moga district late Tuesday, police said.

The deceased were identified as Harminder Singh Babbu (50) and Jagdeep Singh Bhola (60). While the SAD claimed that they were supporters of their party, Congress claimed Bhola was from their party.

An FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Gurtej Singh, husband of SAD candidate Kulwinder Kaur from ward no. 9 of Moga, against seven Congress men including Narinderpal Singh Sidhu, husband of rival Congress candidate Paramjit Kaur Sidhu, Jasmail Singh alias Nikku, Jaslovepreet Singh Sidhu, Lally, Pamma, Happy, T T Sharma, and three unidentified persons under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 188 (disobedience to the order duly promulgated by public servant) and 120-B (conspiracy) at Moga city-1 police station.

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According to the FIR, a clash broke out between workers of both parties on Dosanj Road late Tuesday, during which a group of Congress workers led by the local candidate and her husband allegedly ran over the SAD candidate’s husband and their supporters with their SUVs, leaving two from the Akali Dal dead, and two others injured. It said the violence broke out after Congress workers allegedly started hooting and passing remarks when SAD was campaigning for the upcoming municipal corporation (MC) polls in the area.

The civic polls are scheduled to be held on February 14.

Sources however said that there were allegations and counter allegations of liquor distribution from both sides.

Senior SAD leader Tota Singh said it was not a clash but “one-sided violence spearheaded by Congress candidate’s husband”.

Meanwhile, Congress’s Moga MLA Harjot Kamal said, “Whatever happened last night was an accident and Congress condemns it.”