Twelve police officials, including three inspectors, have been suspended, and a departmental inquiry has been initiated after they allegedly assaulted an army officer and his son following an altercation in Patiala.
The incident has sparked outrage, with the victim's family accusing the police of excessive force, while the police maintain that the army officer and his son instigated the scuffle.
The suspensions were announced two days after the Patiala police registered an FIR against unidentified individuals in connection with a brawl near Rajindra Hospital. The case took a significant turn when Colonel Pushpinder Bath, an officer currently stationed at the army headquarters in New Delhi, and his wife came forward with allegations of police brutality.
Colonel Bath claimed that he and his son were attacked by police personnel, who were in civilian clothes, on the night of March 13. The duo sustained injuries and are currently undergoing treatment.
Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh confirmed the suspensions and assured a thorough investigation into the matter. He stated that justice would be served and that those found guilty would not be spared. Among those suspended are Inspectors Harry Boparai, Ronnie Singh, and Harjinder Dhillon, along with nine other officers named in the complaint.
According to sources, the police personnel involved in the incident were returning from an operation where they had encountered kidnappers, successfully rescuing a seven-year-old child and neutralizing one of the accused. However, a confrontation ensued between them and Colonel Bath outside a dhaba near Rajindra Hospital.
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The officer's family claims that the dispute started when the policemen asked Colonel Bath to move his car so they could park theirs. When he objected to their approach, one of them allegedly punched him, leading to a physical altercation in which both the colonel and his son were severely beaten.
During a press conference, Jaswinder Bath, the colonel’s wife, expressed her anguish over the incident, accusing the police of bias. She insisted that despite clear CCTV footage and the identification of the accused officers, the authorities were not taking appropriate action.
She alleged that the police were trying to protect their own personnel, disregarding the evidence presented by the victims.
On the other hand, one of the accused policemen countered the allegations, claiming that Colonel Bath and his son were intoxicated at the time and had initiated the attack on the police officers. In response to these claims, the police registered an FIR based on the statement of a dhaba owner and assured that the investigation was ongoing.
SSP Nanak Singh reiterated that the Punjab Police holds the Indian Army in high regard and deeply regrets the incident. He assured that a fair and impartial investigation would be conducted within 45 days, after which appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.
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