Gone to stop fight between two groups, nine cops injured in Panchkula

PANCHKULA: Nine cops, including the SHO of Sector 14 police station, were injured when their team went to stop a fight between two groups in Rajiv Colony, Sector 17, on Wednesday night. The accused allegedly pelted the police party with stones and also damaged three PCR Gypsies. The cops had to call extra force to tackle the situation.
Complainant ASI Arvind said around 10.30pm on Wednesday, Sector 16 police post in-charge sub-inspector Sushil Kumar called him and informed about a scuffle near the house of Sumer, alias Smack.
ASI Arvind with his team, including head constable Neeraj Kumar, constable Suresh Kumar, special protection officer (SPO) Brijesh, SPO Harvinder, and driver of PCR Gypsy, went to the spot. As there was a drain, they had to park their PCR Gypsy on the road and foot it to the spot through narrow roads.
The police party saw around eight persons throwing stones at Sumer’s house from their rooftop and there was a melee. When the policemen asked them to maintain law and order, the accused directed stones towards them and more people gathered at the spot.
The accused made the police party run away and they threw stones at the Gypsy, too.
ASI Arvind called the police control room and demanded more force. Sector 14 SHO inspector Rajiv Kumar and in-charge of Sector 16 police post SI Sushil Kumar, along with their teams, rushed to the spot around midnight.

The accused from both sides gathered and again pelted the police party with stones. Three police vehicles and a few two-wheelers parked in the colony were damaged. When more policemen arrived, both the parties fled the spot.
Cops said the accused have been identified as Sumer, his two wives, Radha and Usha, his friends Kulwinder, Sanjay, Sagar, Subhash, Savita and two other persons. Accused from the other group included Sunita, her daughter Khushi, her son Sahil, their friend Sundar, Vicky and three other unknown persons.
Rajiv Colony residents tried to nab the accused, but they were carrying blunt weapons and stones.
Most of the cops received minor injuries and they were taken to the civil hospital. A case under sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the IPC was registered at Sector 14 police station in the early hours of Thursday.

ASI Arvind, the investigating officer who was the first one to reach the spot, said “We had not expected that the accused would attack the police party and will gather in large number against us.”
Panchkula commissioner of police (CP) Saurabh Singh and deputy CP Mohit Handa visited the Sector 16 police post. SHO Rajiv and his team conducted a search operation in the colony on Thursday. The DCP said, “We have rounded up a few suspects. All the nine injured cops have been given medication and they are out of danger. A special team is monitoring them.”
Later in the day, cops said Sumer, Sanjay, Mitto, Savita, Usha, Sahil, Vicky, all residents of Rajiv Colony, and Kulwinder, a resident of Mauli Jagran, have been arrested.
Accused disturbing peace of area’
Rajiv Colony residents on Thursday said accused Sumer and Sunita had been disturbing the peace of the colony for a long time with their daily fights. “If they can attack a police party, how can we be safe?” said a resident. The colony residents also alleged that the accused were into illegal activities and strict action was required to maintain law and order.