‘Over excavation’ by NHAI contractors led to clash, claim cops
The villagers and farm unions have accused the NHAI contractors involved in the construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway of ‘over excavation’ of land which was posing a threat to their fields.
The villagers and farm unions have accused the NHAI contractors involved in the construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway of ‘over excavation’ of land which was posing a threat to their fields.
As per police, this led to a clash between the NHAI officials and villagers in which an officer of the MKC infrastructure company was ‘allegedly’ thrashed on July 20.
On July 20, a group of villagers hailing from Ramwal, Fatehpur, Kot Badal Khan and Nahal villages allegedly stopped the excavation work.
When Munish Sharma, who works as a lining executive field officer in MKC infrastructure company went to the site he was allegedly attacked by the villagers. The FIR in this regard was registered on July 29.
In his complaint, Sharma stated that on July 20, he received reports that a few people had forcibly stopped the construction work at the site between Ramewal and Fatehpur villages following which he went to oversee the situation.
“I was attacked by the protesters, who allegedly kidnapped me and took me to a secluded place, where the accused mercilessly thrashed me and robbed me of my gold chain worth ₹52,000. My colleagues reached the spot with a police team, which rescued me and admitted me to the civil hospital,” Sharma said in his complaint.
The FIR in this matter was registered nine days later on July 29 under sections 115 (2) (Voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (2) (Wrongful restraint), 324 (4) (causing destruction to public property) and 3(5) (Common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against four persons.
Sharma identified Iqbal Singh and Jaskaran Singh Fatehpur village, Balbir Singh of Nahal village and Sohan Singh of Kot Badal Khan village of the district as the accused who attacked him.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the accused named in the FIR were arrested. However, they were bailed out as they were booked under bailable offences.
“We are conducting the investigation in detail from all angles and have also sought a report from the mining department as the villagers have alleged that the contractors carried excavation beyond permissible limits,” Khakh said.
Meanwhile, the company has stopped work on the expressway.
Sandeep Arora, general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha, said against the permissible limit of carrying excavation up to 6 feet, the contractors have excavated the land up to 15 feet damaging the whole ecosystem.
“In the name of the expressway, the contractors and NHAI can’t be allowed to play with the future of the farmers, who are dependent upon their agricultural fields. We only want the administration to come and visit the site to see the extent of excavation and whether it is legal,” he said.
Jalandhar deputy commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal said the district administration has been carrying out a separate inquiry.
“The mining officer has already been directed to submit a detailed report after visiting the site. We will report the matter to NHAI if the excavation was done beyond permissible limits,” Aggarwal said.
He added that the meetings are on with all the stakeholders to resume the work on the expressway at the earliest.