E-Paper
Mob attacks cops in Tarn Taran village, frees rape accused
Video clips of the incident have gone viral on social media purportedly showing nearly 20 people attacking the police team. One of the clips shows a woman lying on the road before a police vehicle to obstruct the operation.
High drama was witnessed at Tur village in Goindwal Sahib sub-division on Thursday when a mob, including women, freed a proclaimed offender (PO), accused of rape, after assaulting a six-member police party. Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Narinderpal Singh had led a raid at a house in the village about 7am, after a tip-off that the accused, Bhupinder Singh, was being harboured by his family members and relatives. Bhupinder had been booked for rape in April 2017.
Video clips of the incident have gone viral on social media purportedly showing nearly 20 people attacking the police team. One of the clips shows a woman lying on the road before a police vehicle to obstruct the operation.
Police have booked 21 persons and 11 of them have been identified. These are Bhupinder Singh, his father Joginder Singh, mother Mohinder Kaur, brother Baljit Singh, sister Sandeep Kaur, and Sumandeep Kaur, Mannu, Sukhjit Singh, Kulwinder Kaur, Jagir Singh and Sandeep Singh of the same village. The identity of the other accused has not been established yet.
ASI Narinderpal said, “I, along with headconstables (HC) Pargat Singh, Avtar Singh, and constables Labh Singh, Tajdeep Singh and Gursahib Singh was patrolling in search of miscreants near the T-point in Tur village. We got a tip-off about Bhupinder and a raid was conducted immediately. Bhupinder was arrested, but he started shouting to attract attention. His relatives and other villagers gathered in the shape of a mob and attacked us. They tore the uniform of one of my men and snatched the phone of headconstable Pargat Singh. Four of us received minor injuries and the mob freed the accused.”
On the statement of the ASI, a case under Sections 333 (causing grievous hurt), 186 (obstructing public servant), 379-B (theft by force), 216 (harbouring), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 225 (resistance to lawful apprehension), 202 (intentional omission) and 353 (assault) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused.
