Jalandhar village panchayat member assaults migrant labourer, held

The victim, Mithlesh Kumar, was hanged upside down using a rope and was thrashed by the accused, identified as Manvir Singh, a panchayat member

The police have arrested a village panchayat member for brutally assaulting a 30-year-old migrant labourer in Palnau village in Phillaur sub-division.

SHO Phillaur police station Paramjit Singh said a case has been registered under various sections against the accused and his aide.

The victim, Mithlesh Kumar, was hanged upside down using a rope and was thrashed by the accused, identified as Manvir Singh, a panchayat member.

As per available information, Manvir had hired migrant labourer Amarjit of Purnia district of Bihar and had even given him an advance of ₹35,000. However, Amarjit went back to his village. Later, the accused came to know that Mithlesh, who belongs to Amarjit’s village, has been working as a field labourer at some another house in his village.

“Following this, the accused allegedly kidnapped the victim and took him to a secluded place in nearby Palkadeem village where they started assaulting him,” said the police.

The whole incident was recorded and a video call was also made to victim’s parents. The accused demanded his parents to either ask Amarjit to return ₹35,000 to them or transfer the amount online to save their son. Even after getting the amount from the victim’s parents, the accused partied around while he was kept hanging.

Later, some villagers took the victim to a local hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

SHO Phillaur police station Paramjit Singh said a case has been registered under various sections against accused Manvir Singh and his accomplice Ramandeep Singh, who recorded the video.

“On the complaint of the victim, who received multiple injuries, the police have registered case under Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 363 (kidnapping), 365 (Abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) and 385 (putting persona in fear of injury in order to extortion) of the IPC,” said the SHO.

“We have arrested main accused Manvir Singh, while another accused is on the run,” he said.