Bathinda, July 29

Former SAD MLA and a senior leader of the party Sarup Chand Singla, along with party workers, sat on a dharna at the Civil Lines police station in Bathinda today, demanding action against cops who detained couples and a hotel owner allegedly over “inappropriate acts” late on Wednesday. The hotel owner is reportedly close to Singla.

Singla claimed: “The police under political patronage from senior Congress leaders had detained the hotel owner last night as we had organised a meeting in the hotel four days ago. Some miscreants who have patronage from relative of a senior Congress leader deliberately entered into a verbal spat with hotel owners and both sides roughed up each other. Later, police came there and detained the hotel owner and some couples staying in the hotel. We will not tolerate this high-handedness of police working under the influence of its political masters.”

DSP Aaswant Singh reached the protest venue and assured that required action would be taken, following which the dharna was called off. “The police had received information that some inappropriate activities were going on at the hotel so some couples and the hotel owner were detained. They were let off after they tendered an apology. No case has been registered. If the protesters want action against anyone, they must submit a written complaint. We will investigate the matter,” the DSP said. — TNS