Land dispute:12 injured in clash between SGPC members, dera followers in Doraha
According to the police, the clash happened over 20 acres of land. Both the SGPC and Dera Mahant are claiming the ownership of the land. However, the case is sub judice in the high court.
At least 12 people suffered injuries in a clash between representatives of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Dera Mahant followers over a dispute over land at Bilaspur village in Doraha of Ludhiana district on Tuesday. Bricks and stones were thrown as both sides clashed.
According to the police, the clash happened over 20 acres of land. Both the SGPC and Dera Mahant are claiming the ownership of the land. However, the case is sub judice in the high court.
The clash erupted after SGPC representative Vijay Singh along with his aides reached the spot to take possession of the land.
Vijay claimed that the ownership of the land belongs to the SGPC. He alleged that the dera followers attacked him with swords when he reached the spot. He claimed that the dera followers also hurled petrol bombs on the SGPC sewadars (volunteers) leading to grievous injuries.
However, Karandeep from Dera Mahant refuted the allegations. He claimed that the land was gifted to their ancestors by the erstwhile raja, maharajas 200 years ago. However, since 1960, the SGPC started claiming rights over it following which the dispute reached the court.
He said the matter was sub judice and there is no court order in the favour of the SGPC to take the land. He claimed that on Tuesday, SGPC members along with their accomplices laced with weapons and tractors turned up there and tried to take possession of the land. He alleged that when they objected to it, the SGPC members and their accomplices attacked them with swords.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP, Payal) Nikhil Garg said that statements of both groups were being recorded and the FIRs will be registered accordingly.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, who reached Doraha to meet injured sewadars, claimed that the land belongs to gurdwara. He also demanded a fair investigation into it.
