3 booked for attack on former Mohali mayor Kulwant Singh’s office

Three men with alleged links to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) were booked by police for attacking the Sector 79 election office of former Mohali mayor Kulwant Singh on Sunday afternoon.

Mohali senior superintendent of police Satinder Singh attributed reasons for the attack to personal enmity, saying three men had been booked under relevant sections. Their names were Sukhwinder Singh Shindi, former President of a truck union in Mohali, Jagtar Singh Zinda and Baljinder Singh Golu.

Kulwant Singh, who heads the Azad group that’s contesting the upcoming Mohali municipal corporation (MC) elections, alleged that 30 to 35 men armed with sticks and sharp edged weapons attacked his office, leaving two or three of his workers with minor injuries.

Investigations were continuing in the case, the SSP added.

Zinda’s mother is contesting the MC elections from Kharar on a SAD ticket.

Giving details of the attack to the media, Kulwant Singh, flanked by former SAD councillors Parminder Singh Sohana and Sukhdev Singh Patwari, alleged that the attackers arrived at the scene saying they were supporters of farmers and would gherao (surround) his office. They were followed by other men in vehicles armed with swords and sticks.

Sohana alleged that as the men started vandalising the office “I tried to pacify the attackers but they were not listening to me. I repeatedly asked them to talk and reveal the motive of their attack, but instead they manhandled and attacked me with swords.”

Calling it a “political vendetta against me and my group by the opposition,” Kulwant Singh said: “They have sensed that they will lose the elections so they have stooped low and sent goons to threaten us.”

He said a complaint had been made and names of the attackers given to police with CCTV footage of the incident “in which faces (of the attackers) were clearly visible.”

Countering the charges, SAD’s Mohali election convener Charanjit Singh Brar said: “The allegations levelled by ex-mayor Kulwant Singh and Parvinder Sohana are a result of excessive excitement whereas the entire episode is that of kisans gheraoing the office as the former mayor used the kisan (farmer) symbol for his party, which farmers see as taking undue advantage of their agitation. So, kisans came to gherao their office and Sohana went there with his armed men, which resulted in a scuffle. Allegations against SAD are purely baseless and frivolous.”

Kulwant Singh parted ways with SAD on January 11 and 26 other party leaders resigned later in his support.