323 nihangs booked for murder attempt on cop during protest in Amritsar
Six nihangs had received bullet injuries in the firing that took place at Mehta Chowk on August 2. A case was registered against unidentified Taksal members in this regard but no arrest has been made so far.
As many as 323 nihangs, five by name, were booked on Saturday on charges of attempt to murder on a head constable deployed at the Mehta police station in Amritsar district’s Baba Bakala sub-division on August 4 when they were protesting over a clash with members of the Damdami Taksal, a Sikh seminary, two days earlier.
Six nihangs had received bullet injuries in the firing that took place at Mehta Chowk on August 2. A case was registered against unidentified Taksal members in this regard but no arrest has been made so far.
In the FIR lodged against the nihangs on the complaint of head constable Surjit Singh, those booked by name are Hardev Singh, a panchayat member, Shera Singh, Baldev Singh, Balkar Singh and Pawan Singh of Ghuhatwind village in Majitha sub-division of the district.
Surjit said a mob consisting of nihangs entered the police station when he along with a constable was deployed there. “When I stopped the nihangs, they attacked me with swords with an intention to kill me. They stopped me from performing official duty. I was trying to identify them. I came to know the names of some on Friday,” he said in his complaint.
Sub-inspector (SI) Satpal Singh, the investigating officer, said on the head constable’s complaint a case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 353 (punishment for assault or criminal force), 186 (obstructing public servant from discharging public functions), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of ₹50), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence) of the Indian Penal Code was registered. The accused are absconding, he added.
The nihang organisation owing allegiance to the Misl Shaheedan Tarna Dal denied the police’s claim, saying its members only protested against police inaction against members of the Damdami Taksal in the firing episode.
“Instead of taking action against the members of the Damdami Taksal, the police have registered a case against our men who were merely holding a protest. The cops are acting at the behest of the seminary,” said Baba Daya Singh, a nihang leader.
The August 2 incident took place when nihangs were grazing their cattle near Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash, the headquarters of Harnam Singh Khalsa-led Damdami Taksal, in the afternoon. They were attacked around 4pm after the cattle allegedly entered the Taksal-owned fields and damaged crop. A case was registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC and sections of the Arms Act.
