Tarn Taran, October 27: The Patti police booked seven labourers and a commission agent for allegedly assaulting a Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI), when he tried to pause a loudspeaker in Toot village grain market of Patti sub-division, 25 km from the district headquarters, on Wednesday night.
The accused made four video clips of the thrashing incident and posted it on social media platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp, which went viral on Thursday.
The accused labourers are Satnam Singh aka Satta, Sarwan Singh aka Shamma, Sandeep Singh aka Sonu, Shabba, Kuldeep Singh, Harpal Singh, Gurdeep Singh and commission agent Joginder Singh.
ASI Charan Singh, 40, said, his police post is near the grain market and he was requesting the accused to control the speaker’s volume for last three days, but in vain.
In his complaint, the ASI said, “I and other officials were patrolling outside the grain market. On hearing the loud noise, I went inside the market to stop the music. Instead of controlling the volume, the labourers assaulted me.” “They tore my uniform, tossed my turban and thrashed me,” he said.
In the video, the labourers can be heard saying, “The cop is drunk and wants to harass innocent labourers. We should teach him a lesson.”
As per the video, two cops including the ASI were thrashed and abused by the workers. But the victim claimed that only he was attacked.
ASI Gurbaksh Singh of Patti sadar police station said a case under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered against the accused, who are absconding.
He said, “More sections will be imposed on the accused as they posted the video online to defame the cop.” Meanwhile, this is second such incident in last two days in the district. On Tuesday, cops were attacked by people at Kot Jaspat village . The incident took place when the police were conducting a raid, based on the information of two fugitives in a murder case, belonging to the same village.
