Ludhiana:Traders thrashed during Pahalgam attack protest
The accused allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans during the altercation; shortly thereafter, another individual arrived in a car and further misbehaved with the protesting traders; the accused managed to flee the scene
A demonstration by Ludhiana traders against the Pahalgam terrorist attack took a disturbing turn on Sunday when a group of unidentified individuals allegedly disrupted the protest with manhandling, threats, and the raising of pro-Pakistan slogans on Chandigarh Road. The incident near Sector 32 has prompted a police investigation and heightened local tensions.
According to police reports, trader Arvind Kumar filed a complaint detailing how he and his friend Raman Kapoor organized the protest as a mark of outrage over the killings of pilgrims in Pahalgam. Their demonstration involved laying a Pakistani flag on Chandigarh Road for vehicles to symbolically drive over. However, the situation took a turn when the flag was allegedly removed during a brief absence of the organisers.
Kapoor stated that upon their return and after placing the flag again, a turbaned man confronted them, objecting to their form of protest and physically assaulting him. The accused allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans during the altercation. Shortly thereafter, another individual arrived in a car and further misbehaved with the protesting traders. As a crowd began to assemble, the accused managed to flee the scene. Kapoor, however, was able to note down the registration numbers of the vehicles involved and subsequently filed a formal complaint with the police.
Assistant commissioner of police (ACP) East) Sumit Sood confirmed that following a preliminary investigation, the Division Number 7 police have registered a first information report (FIR) against the unidentified accused. The charges levied include multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Section 194(2) (committing affray), Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), Section 126(2) (wrongful restraint), Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and Section 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
The police have initiated a manhunt to identify and apprehend the accused individuals, and further investigations into the matter are currently underway.
