2 Akali sarpanches booked for thrashing scribe, victim alleges attempt to murder

Two villages sarpanches, affiliated to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have been booked for allegedly manhandling a scribe of a vernacular newspaper during an event at Akali leader and district planning committee chairman Vir Singh Lopoke’s residence.

Two villages sarpanches, affiliated to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have been booked for allegedly manhandling a scribe of a vernacular newspaper during an event at Akali leader and district planning committee chairman Vir Singh Lopoke’s residence.

The accused have been identified as Labh Singh and Lakhwinder Singh, sarpanches of Bhaggupur and Chhana villages, respectively.

According the complaint, the two held a grudge against the victim -- Gurwinder Singh Kalsi of Lopoke – who got a story on power theft in Bhaggupur and Chhana villages published in the newspaper. They allegedly apprehended the scribe while he was covering an event at the Akali leader’s house in Lopoke.

“Accompanied by 30-40 aides, the accused first complained about the news. Then they started arguing with me and suddenly started beating me mercilessly outside the Akali leader’s house. They also tossed my turban and pulled me by my hair,” said Kalsi.

Kalsi alleged the SAD leader remained a mute spectator and refused to intervene. “Vir Singh Lopoke’s name should also be included in the FIR and attempt to murder charge (Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code) should also be added,” he said. The two sarpanches have been booked under Sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feeling), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC.

Various journalist unions also came out in support of the scribe. In Tarn Taran, journalists staged a protest against Lopoke and burnt his effigy.