Cops release four arrested in Patiala vegetable market clash

PATIALA: Police released four persons, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the clash between Nihangs and the police in the vegetable market on Sanour road in Patiala on April 12. In the incident, hand of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was severed.
Patiala senior superintendent of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu said police took the decision on humanitarian grounds to release four accused out of 11 arrested in the case.He said actions of all the four accused, identified as Sukhpreet Kaur, Jaswant Singh, Darshan Singh and Nanna, were thoroughly verified and, during investigation, it was found they have very little role in the incident.
He said an application before the local court was moved by the police on Thursday to get the four accused released from custody, which was accepted.
He said on the early morning of April 12, Balwinder Singh, a resident of Dera Khichri Sahib in Karhali village, along with others had attacked police and Punjab Mandi Board employees outside the sabzi mandi. The hand of ASI Harjit Singh was severed and he was taken to PGIMER in Chandigarh, where the doctors managed to attach it after 7-hour surgery, SSP Sidhu said.