Clash over SIR in Mohali: FIR registered against AAP councillor

The complainant stated that he is the BJP district vice-president and had been appointed as Booth Level Agent (BLA-I) for the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls. (Express Photo)Mohali police on Friday registered an FIR against AAP councillor Ravinder Singh Bindra and several others three days after a clash broke out between supporters and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Mohali, leaving members of both parties injured. Three persons, including a BJP functionary, were injured in the clash in Kumbra village in Mohali, following which the Phase-8 police has registered an FIR against AAP councillor Ravinder Singh Bindra and several others under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 117(2), 126(2), 190 and 191(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigating Officer ASI Bhupinder Singh said the case was registered after the medical examination and statements of the injured established the commission of cognisable offences. According to the FIR, complainant local BJP leader Hardeep Singh alleged that he was assaulted by Bindra, Jagtar Singh, Gurtaj Singh, Malkiat Singh, Rohit Verma, Khushpreet Singh, alias Sonu, Mangal, Pamma and a few unidentified persons during the incident at Kumbra on June 30. “The accused allegedly dragged us outside, assaulted us with fists, kicks and sharp-edged weapons, hurled abuses and threatened to kill us. I was attacked with a sharp weapon on my nose, while another injured person was repeatedly stabbed in the back,” Hardeep Singh said in his statement to police. The complainant further claimed that the clash stemmed from political rivalry. He stated that he is the BJP district vice-president and had been appointed as Booth Level Agent (BLA-I) for the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls. According to him, the accused were unhappy with his presence during the exercise and allegedly used another dispute as a pretext to attack him. Police said three injured persons, Hardeep Singh, Karamveer Singh and Deepesh Kumar, were medically examined at the Civil Hospital. Medical opinion declared one of Hardeep Singh’s injuries grievous, while two others were found to be simple in nature. The medical opinion regarding some injuries sustained by the other victims is still awaited.Story continues below this ad “Based on the statement of the complainant and the medical evidence collected during the investigation, an FIR has been registered under Sections 115(2), 118(1), 117(2), 126(2), 190 and 191(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is in progress,” ASI Bhupinder Singh, said.