A Punjab Police constable and his two accomplices have been booked for allegedly pushing a man's head into a furnace at a dhaba on the Batala road on Wednesday night, causing serious burn injuries on the face.
The accused have been identified as constable Jasbir Singh, posted with the Amritsar (rural) police, Deepak and Lovely. The case was registered under sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The victim, Sham, employed as a factory worker, is undergoing treatment at the local Guru Nanak Dev Hospital.

Sham's wife Kajal said he was returning home on the night of March 13 when Jasbir, Deepak and Lovely had a fight with him near the Batala road. "When he refused to give them money, they pushed my husband's head into a furnace. He was also beaten up with a stick," she added.

Amritsar police commissioner Ram Singh said Jasbir and Sham knew each other, adding that the victim had apparently fallen on the furnace accidentally during a fight.

However, on the basis of Sham's statement, the police registered a case and have started a probe.

In his statement, Sham alleged that he was coming back from work with a liquor bottle when the accused told him to hand it over. When he refused, they started beating him up. Later, the constable allegedly pushed Sham's head into furnace before taking away Rs. 7,000 from him.

No arrest has been made so far.