FATEHGARH SAHIB, Jan 5: The Punjab Police has become despotic and is interfering in financial and land disputes. This was stated by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Talking to ENS at Mandi Gobindgarh today, he said that inspite of the directions issued to them, the state police was openly interfering in the financial and land disputes. He was here to enquire about the condition of the persons injured in the alleged police lathi charge last evening at Mandi Gobindgarh. Alleging that corruption was rampant in the police ranks, Tohra said that the senior police officers should conduct surprise raids to check corruption in the police folds.Condemning the incident at Mandi Gobindgarh last night, the SGPC chief said that the police had misbehaved with the person who had gone to the police station to settle a financial dispute, in which the police had no right to intervene. He said the state police should be redirected not to intervene in the financial and land disputes.Tohra criticisied the local police for resorting to lathi charge, in which some women were also injured. Out of the 11 injured persons admitted to the Mandi Gobindgarh civil hospital, one Budh Singh was later referred to the Rajindra Hospital, Patiala.Meanwhile, SSP Paramjit Singh Dhaliwal, in a press conference at Mandi Gobindgarh, said he had not made any comment against local MLA Balwant Singh in connection with the controversy as published in a section of press.The SSP said that he had met locals and an inquiry had been ordered into the incident. He said SP (D) Gur Kirpal Singh and DSP Amloh Gurmit Singh had been deputed to conduct the inquiry and they would submit their report very soon.On the other hand, Rajinder Kumar Titu, when contacted, said he would meet the Chief Minister if the inquiry report did not satisfy them. He alleged Charan Dass, his relative, was implicated in the fraud case, registered by the Gobindgarh police yesterday.
