Gurdeep Singh Mann, Tribune News Service,
Bathinda, August 14
Senior police officers, Army reach
Bathinda
- Senior police officers and two Army teams on Friday reached the
CIA police station of Bathinda where the detonators recovered from
the car of two Akali leaders were taken
- The two leaders — Kulwinder Singh, former sarpanch of Ratta Khera
village in Muktsar, and his brother Lakhwinder Singh — hailed from
Lambi (Muktsar), the home constituency of CM Parkash Singh Badal
The police are baffled over the
recovery of 10 “detonators” from an accident-hit car that belongs to two
Akali leaders from Lambi (Muktsar), the home constituency of Chief
Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
The two leaders — Kulwinder Singh, former sarpanch of
Ratta Khera village in Muktsar, and his brother Lakhwinder Singh — have
been detained for questioning.
Though Additional Director General of Police (Law &
Order) Rohit Chaudhary described the “detonators” as firecrackers,
investigators said the recovery was mystifying.
Colonel Sukhcharan Singh (retd), Chief Security
Officer of Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant at Lehra Mohabbat town of
Bathinda where the accident took place late on Thursday night, however,
refuted the ADGP’s claim saying he saw “detonators” in the car. Colonel
Singh had informed the police about the presence of “detonators” in the
car of the two Akali leaders who were reportedly returning from
Chandigarh after meeting the CM. “Around 5.30am, I noticed two bundles
of 10 wires — five in each bundle — attached with batteries lying in the
car. A security guard also noticed it. Sensing trouble, I called up
Superintendent of Police (city) Des Raj,” he said.
The two leaders reportedly carried a pistol.
“They seemed to be under the influence of liquor. They
said if anyone came near their vehicle, he/she would be blown off,” said
a local resident on the condition of anonymity.
Besides Kulwinder and
Lakhwinder, the police have detained taxi driver Gurjant
Singh and a thermal plant employee, Sukhmandar Singh, for “helping” the
duo reach the Bathinda Circuit House, adjacent to the official residence
of the Deputy Commissioner.
Senior Superintendent of Police Indermohan Bhatti,
whom the duo called up after the accident and sought security cover,
said he knew them and nothing incriminating was recovered from their
car.
The leaders had reportedly asked the taxi driver to
remove the registration plates of their car claiming it was not insured,
but the driver refused to do so as he was not carrying required tools.
“The rear windscreen of the leaders’ car was intact at night, but was
found smashed in the morning. Both number plates are also missing,”
another villager said.
Though senior policemen tried to “brush the incident
under the carpet”, it turned into a major case after the entire police
force along with ADGP (Law and Order) Rohit Chaudhary from Chandigarh,
Bathinda Range IG Balvir Kumar Bawa, DIG Mohnish Chawla, SSP Indermohan
Bhatti and two Army teams arrived at the CIA police station.
A case has been registered at the Nathana police
station.
