Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Barnala, December 29
A clash between the Schedule Caste (SC) community members and the police took place on Wednesday after the police tried to convince local members of the SC community against the construction of a gurdwara on vacant land near tehsil complex of Tapa, causing injuries to Tapa SHO, three other police personnel and some members of the SC community.
The official vehicle of the SHO was also damaged.
Tapa Nagar Council (NC) claims that the land belonged to it but SC community members say they are the owners of the land.
There is still tension in the area as senior authorities have deputed force while SC community members are adamant for the construction of a gurdwara.
“The land belongs to SC community and we want to construct a Gurdwara Sahib here, but NC authorities want to grab our land. Today when local cops tried to remove Nishan Sahib (religious flag) from here, residents protested and the cops fired in the air and used sticks, causing injuries to residents,” said Advocate Satnam Singh Rahi, SAD party candidate from Bhadaur constituency.
Some other residents alleged that after cops fired in the air and started lathicharge on them, they started protesting and it led to a clash.
But the police alleged that when they went to convince them to vacate the land, they started pelting stones and bricks.
“On the complaint of NC, the police had also registered an FIR some days back against some locals after they refused to vacate the land,” said Simarpreet Kaur, SDM, Tapa.
When contacted, SSP, Barnala, Alka Meena said, “Both Tapa NC and members of the SC community have been claiming that land belongs to them. After the members of SC community started the construction of gurdwara there, our cops went to convince them to vacate the land. But area residents started pelting stones, causing injury to our Tapa SHO Gurlal Singh and three other cops and they also damaged the official vehicle of the SHO.”
She said that the situation was under control as they have deputed more force in the area.
“I have got information that some residents have also suffered injuries. We would conduct investigations and also register an FIR against all those who have attacked the SHO and other personnel and damaged their vehicle,” said the SSP.
SHO, cops injured in clash between locals and police in Barnala over construction of gurdwara
{$excerpt:n}
