Congress protests against SAD-BJP policies amid heavy police presence

The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the Congressmen and in the process MP Bittu and some others were injured as well.

The police later detained Bittu from the spot, but was released later. Apart from Bittu, former district president K K Bawa, MLAs Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Rakesh Pandey, Surinder Dabur and District Congress president urban Gurpreet Gogi were also detained from the spot.

More than 100 Congress supporters were detained by the police and later taken to different police stations and released a few hours later.

As Bittu tried to break the barricade, he was hit on the face by cops during lathicharge which left him bleeding. He later jumped over the barricades to reach the DC office gate and put the locks.

Earlier, the Ludhiana Congress leadership, which was divided into various camps and organized protests on separate platforms like Bittu-Ashu faction, Parminder Mehta-Rakesh Pandey faction and Gurpreet Gogi group and K K Bawa, came together probably for the first time after Lok Sabha polls last year.

PPCC secretary Parminder Mehta, who earlier organized separate protests, also joined Bittu today. Even Gursimran Singh Mand, a confidant of Captain who was expelled for speaking against Bajwa by Congress disciplinary committee, joined Bittu during protest.

While talking to media Bittu accused the administration of implementing the anti-people policies of SAD-BJP government.

“We were here to lock the gates of DC office as administration is not people friendly and they are just following the anti-people policies of SAD-BJP government,” said Bittu.

Assistant commissioner of Police (Crime) Prithipal Singh said that more than 150 cops led by ADCP and ACP rank officials were deployed at DC office. While stopping the congressmen to reach the gate of DC office minor use of lathicharge was made and later on police detained Congress leaders. Some cops also suffered injuries during the clash, added ACP.