A day after Congress and Akali Dal workers clashed over ‘white’ Ravana leaving about 35 injured, police on Wednesday arrested Youth Congress’ State Secretary Parvinder Singh lapran in the matter.
Police were carrying out raids to nab other accused Congress leaders, including party’s ludhiana district president Gurpreet Gogi, ludhiana MP Ranveet Singh Bittu’s younger brother Guriqwal Singh Honey, and Deputy leader of Congress legislature Party Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s younger brother Narendra Sharma.
After the clash on Monday night, police registered a case under various S of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including 307 (attempt to murder), 365 (kidnapping), 506 (threatening) and 295 (hurting religious sentiments) against these leaders, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dhruman Nimble.
The controversy over burning of a Ravana’s white effigy turned ugly on late Monday night when the supporters of both SAD and Congress clashed at a ground near Vardhman Chowk on Chandigarh road.
Congress had reportedly prepared white effigies as protest against sale of heroin in Punjab and had planned to burn them on Dussehra along with photos of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal.
Deputy leader of the Opposition Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who represents ludhiana West Assembly constituency, said that as many as 12 Congress men were injured in the clash.
According to police, the SAD workers damaged the white Ravana. The workers also allegedly damaged the vehicle of Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.