KARNAL: Punjab Police personnel ‘sustained injuries here when irate traders in Purana Sharaft bazar resisted their attempt to whisk away one of their colleagues, later the shopkeepers in the area went on a flash strike. ‘The Punjab Police party comprising ASI Sikh Dev Raj Constable Jasvinder Singh and Constable Balbir Singh and the driver were rescued from the mob’s fury by the local police. According to Mr, Suresh Viad president Kamal Swarankaar Sangh, a police panty from Patiala arrived in the bazar ‘and parked their white Maruti van near Arya Samaj mandir. Later two of them in civil dress went to a jewelers shop and told the owner, Mr, Sushil Kumar, that he (Sushil) had purchased a stolen earring from a thief a year and a half ago. When he protested and told them that the shop had been opened a year ago they asked Sushil to accompany them to the van, On his refusal the police tried to take him away forcibly, At this time trader intervened and started pelting stones on them resulting in injuries to some of the policemen.

Mr. Vaid said earlier too a police party from Patiala had come along with the two alleged thieves to recover the stolen ornaments.

 However, with the intervention of Mr. Sewaji Saraf, president of the district Sharifa Association and president, Karnal Beopar Mandal the matter was hushed up after taking Rs. 10,000 and Rs 3,000 from the two jewelers, Sohan Lal and Sham Lal respectively.

They also took away one Harbhajan Singh but let him off at the tuck Union Chowk after he had agreed to pay them some money.

According to the Senior Superintendent of Police, PK. Aggarwal the injury sustained by the cops was of minor and the local police were looking into the matter. He said no FIR has been registered against the accused police personnel, because the Inter had committed only a procedural mistake by not informing local police. Mr. Aggarwal said that the police party last week had informed the local police station.

However, the shopkeepers resented the attitude of the local police for letting the Punjab cops go without filing an FIR against them.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 24, 1995