A video of an attack on a leader of the women wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) from Barnala has gone viral on social media. The video was allegedly uploaded two days ago by the accused.
In the video, the accused is seen beating Jaswinder Kaur Shergill, who is former vice-president of the Istri wing of SAD, at Solah Da Muth, near Barnala, where she had gone to pay obeisance on November 2.
She was allegedly attacked by Rajwinder Kaur, her son Somnath, Vijay Kumar, Kamaldeep and four unidentified persons.
The police have arrested an accused last evening.
A case had been registered on November 2 under Sections 324, 354-B, 355, 506, 148 and149 of the IPC against eight persons on the complaint of the victim.
“On the directions of the court, we have allowed Rajwinder and her son Somnath to join investigations, while we have arrested another accused Vijay Kumar Bunty last evening and conducting raids to arrest the remaining accused,” said Naib Singh, SHO, Barnala Sadar police station.
“The accused had levelled allegations against me that I had taken money for job. But when their charges were found to be baseless, they attacked me. The police must arrest all of them,”said Jaswinder.
Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira of AAP has come under attack from SAD for his remarks on an Istri Akali Dal leader who was thrashed by some persons and left severely injured near Barnala.
After a video of the November 2 incident went viral on social media, Khaira told mediapersons there was a blackmailing angle to the incident and instead blamed the victim, Jaswinder Kaur, for the incident. He also lashed out at the Istri Akali Dal president Jagir Kaur.
“There is an angle of blackmailing behind the incident. The kind of leader Jagir Kaur is, the same kind of people must be her followers. In that video, people can be heard saying she had been blackmailing them and demanding Rs 10 lakh… I feel it is bad character… One can immediately doubt there is definitely something wrong which is why she was beaten up,” he said.
Reacting to Khaira’s comments, SAD’s senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema said a criminal case should be registered against him for casting aspersions on the character of a victim of brutality.
“There can be no excuse for such inhuman behaviour on the part of Khaira. He must be proceeded against immediately as per law. No one has the right to cast aspersions on a woman by terming her as a blackmailer and a bad character,” he said. “This is a fit case for taking suo motu action against Khaira by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. The Commission should also direct the state police to register a separate case under the SC Act against the AAP leader.”
Dera mahant Hukam Dass alias Babli Mahant said, “The attackers accused us of having illicit relations. I am just helping her. She is a political leader. I will continue to support her.”
Incharge of the Handiaya police post Jasvir Singh said Jaswinder had suffered fracture in her right arm and was under treatment at the Barnala Civil Hospital.
“We have seen the video clip and are taking the opinion of legal experts to add the IT Act also in the FIR,” he said.
