Week on, Punjab Police yet to ‘name’ suspended officers | Chandigarh News

Terming the incident as a “shame for Punjab”, the Opposition demanded strict action from the Bhagwant Mann government.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal asked CM Mann why his government was shielding the accused police officers. “Colonel Batth’s wife is running from pillar to post seeking justice for her husband and son as the Patiala Police have filed an FIR against unknown people in the case. This incident has brought shame to the Punjab Police as well as to the entire state. I…demand the immediate dismissal and arrest of the guilty officers,” he said in a post on X.

Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia wrote on X, “If Army officers are not safe in Punjab then what will be the fate of the common man? Filing an open FIR in an incident of attack on defender of the nation is a blatant exercise by the Punjab Police to save their own personnel.”

He added that the accused policemen are supposed to be encounter specialists and asked DGP Gaurav Yadav if encounter specialists have been kept in the police force to break the law. “When the policemen have been identified, then why have they not been named in the FIR and dismissed yet,” he asked.

Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira said the Patiala SSP was trying to force the family of the victims to reach a compromise. “This is very shameful. The AAP government has turned Punjab into a police state. These (accused) policemen…told them (Colonel and his son) that they are coming after doing an encounter and will do their encounter too,” he alleged.

He also slammed AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal for keeping mum on the incident.

Meanwhile, the ex-servicemen in the state rallied around the Colonel and announced a demonstration in Mohali on Thursday. According to a statement released by Lt Col SS Sohi (retd) and Brigadier Harwant Singh (retd), of Ex-Servicemen Grievances Cell and All India Defence Brotherhood, respectively, a march will be taken out to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and a memorandum will be submitted demanding dismissal of the accused officers.

“A shocking and shameful act of police brutality against a Colonel and his son in Patiala has outraged the ex-servicemen community. This is not just an attack on individuals but an insult to those who have dedicated their lives to the nation. We cannot remain silent. All ex-servicemen across Punjab must mobilize and submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of their respective districts, demanding that the Government of India take immediate action to ensure the safety and security of serving personnel, veterans, and their families all over India. The breakdown of law and order in Punjab must not be ignored,” said Brigadier Harwant Singh.

Meanwhile, some legal experts and advocates reached out to the family of the Colonel to advice them on how to proceed in the case.

“It is a matter of joke that the Punjab Police have registered an FIR on the complaint of the owner of the dhaba where the incident took place, which indicates an attempt to pin the blame on the Colonel and his family. It is a pressure tactic. How can the victims expect justice when the district police is trying to protect their own personnel,” said a Supreme Court advocate who did not want to be named and has reached out to Jaswinder Batth, the wife of the Colonel.

The advocate added that the victims should immediately move the high court seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh so that a fair and impartial investigation can take place.

It has also been learnt that the suspended SHOs were seen moving about Patiala city in their official vehicles and security paraphernalia.