Yamunanagar sarpanch’s kin among several booked for assaulting two Sikh youths

Yamunanagar: Haryana police have booked several persons, including three family members of the incumbent sarpanch of Ganaula village in Yamunanagar district, for allegedly assaulting two Sikh youths and disrespecting their turbans. The case was registered at Chhachhrauli police station following protests by members of the Sikh community. The FIR was lodged on the evening of May 8 after Sikh protesters briefly blocked a nearby national highway, demanding strict action against the accused. Senior police officers reached the spot and assured the protesters of prompt action. According to the complaint, the incident occurred on April 29 in Ganaula village when Amandeep Singh and his elder brother Harshdeep Singh were allegedly attacked with sticks and iron rods by a group of villagers. The matter surfaced publicly after a video of the assault went viral on social media. In the video, the accused can allegedly be heard abusing the victims and making derogatory remarks about their Sikh faith. Amandeep named Diwan Chand, father-in-law of the incumbent sarpanch, his sons Harpreet and Gurpreet — the sarpanch's husband — along with Munna, Babbu, Moman, Ashu and several unidentified persons in the FIR. The accused were booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, unlawful assembly, rioting and deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings. In his complaint, Amandeep Singh stated that he and his family depend on agriculture for livelihood. On April 29, at around 7:30 pm, he and his brother went to their fields to switch on a tubewell when Harpreet and others allegedly confronted them. "They flashed a light on our faces. When we questioned them, they began abusing us and soon called more people to the spot," Amandeep alleged in the complaint. He further alleged that the accused assaulted the brothers with sticks and rods, mocked their Sikh identity, dragged them by their hair to the sarpanch's residence and desecrated their turbans. The complainant also alleged that the attackers poured petrol on them and attempted to set them on fire while recording videos on mobile phones after removing their turbans. "After removing our turbans, they caught hold of us from our hair and recorded our video on their mobile phone, tried to set fire," said Amandeep. Amandeep said the family came to know about the video on May 3, even after village elders reportedly brokered a compromise in the matter. He alleged that the video was deliberately uploaded online to hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. Chhachhrauli SHO Inspector Raj Pal confirmed that accused Gurpreet was arrested on Friday night and produced before a court on Saturday. Later, a court released Gurpreet Singh on bail. .Ends MSID:: 130976574 413 |