Clash in Sultanpur Lodhi, bullet fired, Hoshiarpur BJP leader heckled in Garhdiwala

Jalandhar: Barring two incidents – a violent direct clash between Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supporters in Sultanpur Lodhi and “farmers” confronting BJP district Hoshiarpur president in Garhdiwala town and breaking a window of his vehicle – polling remained peaceful on Doaba region where polling was held for 21 municipal bodies, including two municipal corporations, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.
In Sultanpur Lodhi, SAD alleged that bullets were also fired from Congress side. This has also led to questions that the administration had issued orders for depositing licenced weapons to the people.
SAD supporter Pippal Singh was injured. He received injury on a side of his head and was seen bleeding at the clash site. He too alleged that the Congress side fired bullets.
Akali Dal leader Sajjan Singh Cheema, a former SSP of Punjab, alleged that he had seen 40-50 Congress supporters near polling booth in Ward No. 1 in block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) and had called up Sultanpur Lodhi sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and deputy superintendent of police (DSP) urging them to rush police enforcement. “Just three to four minutes before the end of polling at 4pm, a group of Congress workers started coming towards the gate of the polling booth and they were being escorted by a sub-inspector. I also urged the SHO present there to stop them but the group reached the gate and tried to barge into the polling booth with police remained mute spectators. Then our workers opposed their entry,” Cheema said.
In a video clip, both sides could be seen clashing and police then separated them. It soon led to stone pelting between both sides and then firing of gun shots could also be heard in the video while one person could be seen waving his weapon too.
Cheema alleged that two local Congress leaders fired from their weapons.
When asked Sultanur Lodhi DSP Sarwan Singh Bal said they were still verifying if bullets were fired and then who fired these. He also said police are verifying the identity of the person seen in the video clip and the circumstances. A case was being registered, he added.
Box: BJP leader confronted, window of his car damaged
In Garhdiwala town of Hoshiarpur, BJP district president Sanjeev Minhas was confronted by a group who claimed to be farmers. Minhas had earlier rushed to the help of a local candidate who was earlier heckled by a group. He was later sitting at the office of a local supporters where the group of “farmers” reached. In a video clip, they could be heard raising slogans against BJP and also hurling abuses. While police grappled with the protestors to make way for Minhas’s car, one person hit at the window of his door and the glass broke. Minhas later told TOI that he received injury on his arm. He alleged that these were Congress supporters who ried to attack him in the garb of protestors. “It is very unusual that on the polling day, the police allowed such groups to roam freely and attack BJP leaders,” he said.