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Thrashed in Dalhousie, alleges NRI couple
Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla said the attack was linked to the recent incident involving Kangana Ranaut, but the Himachal police said the incident had nothing to do with interstate or inter-community dispute.
Thrashed in Dalhousie allegedly by local residents over parking issue, an NRI couple has accused the Himachal police of not lodging an FIR.
NRI Kawaljit Singh said he, along with his wife of Spanish origin, were out for sightseeing in Dalhousie recently when they had an argument with a parking contractor, who along with his accomplices allegedly thrashed them.
The couple stated that the Himachal police rescued them and he was admitted to a private hospital in Amritsar with serious injuries.
Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla suggested that the attack was linked to the recent incident involving Kangana Ranaut, who was “slapped by a CISF constable” at Chandigarh airport.
Meanwhile, the HP police said the incident is not linked to any interstate or inter-community dispute. IG (Northern Range) Santosh Patial said, “Singh was in Khajjiar (Chamba district) and was doing palm reading for some women when someone felt offended and there was a scuffle. Later, both parties reached a compromise in presence of policemen.”
“He had given in writing that he wants no legal action and left. There is nothing like an interstate or inter-community dispute and tourists are welcome in Himachal,” Patial said.
“Thousands of tourists are coming to the state every day during the summer season and it is just an isolated incident that occurred as some people felt offended by Singh’s actions,” he said.
Congress MP from Amritsar Aujla, who reached the hospital to inquire about the well-being of Singh, claimed, “They (attackers) took the name of Kangana and told them (Singh) what you did with her we did with you, which is unfortunate and wrong.” Aujla said he will ask Himachal Pradesh chief minister to take action against the culprits. “An FIR should be lodged and miscreants should be arrested,” said Aujla in Amritsar.
SAD leader Majithia condemned the incident and alleged that it was due to the impact of Kangana Ranaut’s statement that people in HP are now “targeting tourists from Punjab”.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said he would write to the Himachal Pradesh CM seeking action in the case.
Kangana Ranaut had recently accused CISF woman constable Kulwinder Kaur of slapping her at the Chandigarh airport when she was heading to Delhi after being elected to the Lok Sabha from Mandi. The constable was suspended and an FIR was lodged in the matter.
In the statement titled “Shocking rise in terror and violence in Punjab” posted on X, the BJP MP had narrated the incident involving the constable.”I am safe but my concern is that terrorism and extremism are increasing in Punjab... How do we handle that?” Kangana Ranaut had said. (With PTI inputs)
