In the first instance of violence related to panchayat elections, the Bilga police have arrested three activists of ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on the charges of rioting, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, obstruction in publicway, wrongful restrain and criminal intimidation.
SHO Rupinder Singh said that the alleged accused had been identified as Jarnail Singh, Balbir Singh and Mukhtair Singh, all residents of Talwan village. Ex-sarpanch Jaswinder Singh of Talwan village complained to the police that he was returning home on Tuesday evening when the accused attacked him with sharp-edged weapons and seriously injured him, as he reportedly supported the United Front in the panchayat elections.
He said that the accused were SAD members and threatened him not to support support opposition candidates. The SHO said a case under Sections 148 and 149 (rioting), 323, 324(voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 283 (obstruction in public way), 341(wrongful restrain) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC had been registered against the accused.