Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab - Two so-called 'upper caste' youths along with their relatives and well wishers allegedly molested poor girls mostly belongs to Dalit community when they were returning home in a mini bus from Machiwara after performing their duty in a spinning mill. They had also beaten up Jagdish Singh, the driver of the bus.
Out of 30 girls, many girls boarded in the bus belongs to village Lohari Kalan and the youths were also from the same village. Though Bassi Pathana police has registered a case against the accused but the girls’ parents and BSP leaders are not fully satisfied with the police action.
On the statement of one victim Jaswinder Kaur , a resident of village Lohari Kalan, the police has registered a case against Amanjot Singh, Damanjot Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Sukhchain Singh, Shinda Panch, all residents of village Lohari Kalan under various sections of the IPC. As per 35- year -old Jaswinder Kaur, who also belong to Dalit community, a private mini bus hired by her mill usually came to her villages and other adjoining villages to take girls around 7 .30 am in morning and the same bus dropped the girls at their homes after their duty till 5 .30 pm .
She said that when the bus driver was dropping girls on Monday evening suddenly two boys belongs to village Lohari Kalan Amarjot Singh and Dhamanjot Singh, who was in car started to chase their bus . She said they had also crossed their bus in way and then again started to chase the bus. She said when the youths started to click girls photographs from their mobile the bus driver objected over it. She said when the bus driver stopped bus at Lohari to drop the girls there , the youths along with some relatives and well wishers pulled the driver from the bus and mercilessly beaten him. They also damaged some parts of the bus.
Jaswinder said on seeing the beating of the driver , when the girls raised alarm , all these persons in fit of rage molested the girls in the bus . When the girls opposed their act, they also started to beat the girls due to which village Gopalon resident Seema Devi was seriously injured and she was admitted at Civil Hospital, Bassi Pathana. Though police after registering the case arrested all the accused but all was released on bail later.
On the other hand, the parents of the girls and local BSP leaders are not satisfied with the police act. BSP leaders led by district president Surinder Singh Nogawan met Fatehgarh Sahib SSP and apprised him of situation.
Talking to media persons some parents of the girls and senior BSP leaders Rajinder Singh Nanheria and Surinder Singh Nogawan alleged that the accused used casteism remarks against the dalit girls but the police has not booked the accused under SC/ST Act. He said that the police should immediately booked these persons under the Act. They alleged that their was partial role of the police in the case. They said alleged that the girls were harassed till 12.30 am in police station. They said that the girls were forced to stay in police station even when the lady constable was not present there.
Seema who was admitted in Bassi Pathana Civil Hospital said that she and other girls were mercilessly beaten up though they had no fault. Her father apprehended that the girls in the bus had received salaries on Monday and the youths may want to snatch their salary so they were chasing the bus.
When contacted Bassi Pathana SHO Dalip Singh he refuted the allegations. He said that police acted as per the complaint received.
