45 SAD workers booked for booth capturing in Bathinda village

Police have booked 45 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers, including a zila parishad candidate, for allegedly capturing a booth and taking away two ballot papers and setting them afire at Dayalpura Mirza village near Rampura Phul in Bathinda during the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections on Wednesday.

While the case was registered against 10 people by name, the rest are unidentified. Those booked include SAD’s candidate from Burj Gill zila parishad segment Jaspal Singh, party workers Amarjit Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Joginder Singh, Gurpal Singh, Parkash Pandit, Parmanad, Haridev, Mandeep Singh and Maninder Singh.

None of the accused was arrested yet.

Former SAD minister Sikander Singh Maluka said the party workers have been implicated in the case. “The police must make public the video of polling at the booth from where ballot boxes were taken away. If any SAD worker is found involved, he must be booked,” he said.

Police said the case was registered under Sections 395 (punishment for dacoity), 393 (attempt to commit robbery), 186 (obstructing public servant from discharging duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 148 (rioting), 149 (every unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Representation of People Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act at the Dayalpura police station on complaint of polling booth presiding officer Amanpreet Singh.

Repolling held at 2 booths in district

Repolling was held at booth number 17 at Dayalpura Mirza village where SAD workers allegedly took away two ballot boxes (one each of zila parishad and block samiti) and booth number 46 at Ratangarh Kanakwal village in Talwandi Sabo block in the district on Friday, with 59 per cent turnout.