Sarpanch’s son, aide held for car robbery

Police said Hira and Rashpal, who were arrested from Bhikhiwind, have already been facing cases under the NDPS Act

Police on Monday arrested two men, including the son of a sitting sarpanch owing allegiance to the ruling Congress, in connection with robbery of a car belonging to a Mohali-based man, outside a private hospital in Amritsar on Sunday.

The accused also have drug peddling cases pending against them, police said. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The arrested accused have been identified as Harmit Singh alias Hira and Rashpal Singh of Algon Kalan village falling under the Bhikhiwind sub-division. Hira’s father Sukhpal Singh is the village’s sarpanch. Police have also identified two more accused nominated in the case as Malkit Singh of Bhai Ladhu village and Bony of Beharwal village in Tarn Taran.

Police said Hira and Rashpal, who were arrested from Bhikhiwind, have already been facing cases under the NDPS Act. Both the accused were presented before a Patti court on Monday.

Some unidentified miscreants had looted a car after assaulting its owner with sharp-edged weapons outside a private hospital on the Circular Road during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. There were two mobile phones and some cash in the car, the victim had claimed.

The police have also recovered the stolen car. Bhikhiwind station house officer Sarabjit Singh said after robbing the car, the accused had also changed its number plate. A case under section 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) has been registered against all the accused at Bhikhiwind police station. Earlier on Sunday, a case under section 379-B (theft by force) was registered against the accused in Amritsar.