Dera Bassi SDM steps in to pacify patwaris, cops at loggerheads over ‘misbehaviour’

Patwaris claim their colleague was challaned and misbehaved with by a cop posted at a naka, while police claim the patwari did not comply with their directions when stopped for checking

Accusing each other of misbehaviour, policemen and patwaris of Dera Bassi sub-division came to loggerheads on Thursday. The patwaris union even threatened to go on strike if action was not taken against the policemen. However, the matter was amicably resolved following timely intervention of Dera Bassi’s sub-divisional magistrate Kuldeep Bawa.

HT Image

On Thursday morning, the Revenue Patwari union of Dera Bassi tehsil held a meeting at the Zirakpur municipal council office. Union president Gurjant Singh said, “The meeting was called due to policemen’s misbehaviour with patwaris on emergency duty. Now, we have decided we will not work till the policeman, who misbehaved, is suspended.”

The patwaris have been supervising eight kitchens that are providing food to poor families in Dera Bassi area. Patwari Saurav Garg said on Wednesday night around 8.30pm, he had gone to distribute ration in Dhakoli area on directions of the SDM. He said he had parked his vehicle along the roadside when ASI Jashanpreet Singh of Dhakoli police station, deployed at a naka nearby, misbehaved with him and issued him a challan for not wearing a seatbelt and for an invalid pollution certificate that had expired on March 20.

The policemen, on the other hand alleged, that it was the patwari who misbehaved with them when they stopped him for checking at the naka.

Dera Bassi SDM Kuldeep Bawa intervened and counselled both parties and urged them to forget their differences amid this national emergency. Following his counsel, the patwaris decided against going on strike.