The pilot vehicle, escorting the newly-appointed Punjab Cabinet Minister Balkar Singh, was allegedly attacked by three or four youths in Jalandhar around 1 am on Monday. The police has arrested four persons in the matter.
As per the police, the incident occurred near Ravidas Chowk when the Minister was going towards his residence, and a group of men engaged in a verbal duel with the security of the escort vehicle for overtaking them.
The men, who were allegedly in an inebriated state, also allegedly threw stones at the vehicle. Police, however, said that the Minister was not present in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
A police official said that four of them have been arrested and a case has been registered against them. The accused were identified as Jatin, Ashish, Rishu, residents of Jalandhar, and Nakul, resident of Kapurthala.
They have been booked under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Jalandhar) Jagmohan Singh.
According to the police, the attackers came in a black luxury car without a registration number. The Minister’s pilot vehicle tried to overtake the black car but its driver stopped it in the middle of the road. Three or four youths came out of the car, quarreled with the Minister’s gunmen, who asked the youths to give way for the pilot vehicle to pass, and manhandled them, said police sources.
They also allegedly manhandled a policeman on duty near Ravidas Chowk and pelted bricks on the pilot vehicle. The Minister came out of his vehicle and pacified the youths who were under the influence of liquor, said the police.
Even after the minister went to his residence, the youths followed him and quarreled with his gunmen outside the building, the police added.
The Minister then called the police and Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police-2 (Jalandhar), Aditya, reached the spot, detained the youths and took their vehicle into custody. Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal said the police were investigating the matter and would register a case.