Ludhiana assault case: Victim’s kin protest, allege police bias

The family alleged that though the Ludhiana police had lodged an FIR against the accused but they had imposed weaker sections and also pressurized them for a compromise

Alleging police of favouring an accused, a Gautam Colony family staged a protest at office of commissioner of police (CP) on Monday.

Daughter of the injured woman told Ludhiana police that on April 21, their neighbours had indulged in a scuffle with her uncle, adding that when her father and mother intervened in the matter, the accused thrashed them too. The accused assaulted her mother with a sharp-edged weapon and also bludgeoned her with a brick. The accused tore her clothes and also molested her, she alleged (HT FILE)

The family alleged that though the police had lodged an FIR against the accused but they had imposed weaker sections and also pressurized them for a compromise.

Commissioner of police, Kaustubh Sharma, ordered the police to take action within three days.

A woman member of the family, who suffered a fracture in her skull bone, is admitted to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, and has already undergone three surgeries.

Daughter of the injured woman said on April 21, their neighbours had indulged in a scuffle with her uncle, adding that when her father and mother intervened in the matter, the accused thrashed them too. The accused assaulted her mother with a sharp-edged weapon and also bludgeoned her with a brick. The accused tore her clothes and also molested her, she alleged.

“The police did not take action against the accused. We approached the CP to get the FIR lodged on April 23. The police imposed weaker sections in the FIR to favour the accused. The accused had attempted murder on my mother but the police added section of a minor scuffle only,” she said.

The Tibba police had booked accused Dharampal, his sons Harwinder Singh, Gurwinder Singh and daughter Bhinder, under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354-B (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.

Inspector Ranvir Singh, station house officer at Tibba police station, said the medical report of the injured woman has been not received yet. The police will take appropriate action according to the medical report, he added.