Gram panchayat polls: Two Akali Dal leaders in Punjab booked for shootout incident
Punjab Police on Sunday registered a case against Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Vardev Singh Mann, a.k.a. Noni, his brother Nardev Singh Mann, a.k.a. Bobby, and 15-20 others after a shootout incident near the office of Block Development Officer (BDO) in Jalalabad in Punjab's Fazilka district over filing of nomination for the gram panchayat polls.
IANS
Oct 6, 2024 07:51
0
Chandigarh, Oct 6 (IANS) Punjab Police on Sunday registered a case against Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Vardev Singh Mann, a.k.a. Noni, his brother Nardev Singh Mann, a.k.a. Bobby, and 15-20 others after a shootout incident near the office of Block Development Officer (BDO) in Jalalabad in Punjab's Fazilka district over filing of nomination for the gram panchayat polls.
Two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters were also injured in the incident on Saturday.
The brothers, who were booked for the crime, are the sons of the former Member of Parliament, Zora Singh Mann.
AAP supporters Mandeep Singh Brar and Rajesh Kumar were shot at after objections were raised on the nomination of Noni's son, Harpinder Singh, for the sarpanch's post in Chak Sukhewala village.
AAP MLA from Jalalabad, Jagdeep Kamboj, alleged that Akali Dal leader Noni Mann allegedly fired at Brar, whose condition is stable.
The first information report was registered on a complaint by AAP activist Gurpreet Singh, who said he was allegedly threatened by Noni for contesting the election.
The elections to gram panchayats in the state will be held on October 15.
Responding to the crime, AAP Member of Parliament, Malvinder Singh Kang expressed concern over incidents of political violence.
"It is disheartening to see that our party members have become victims of violence. Just yesterday, in Jalalabad, a candidate named Mandeep Brar was attacked by goons affiliated with the Akali Dal while he was going to submit his nomination papers. This kind of political thuggery has no place in a democratic society and must be condemned," he told the media here.
He called on the people of Punjab to stand firm against the violence and intimidation historically perpetrated by opposition parties, including the Akali Dal, the Congress and the BJP.
"We urge the citizens to reject the politics of fear and violence. Let us participate in the elections and show that we will not be silenced or intimidated," he said.
--IANS
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