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Updated: Feb 04, 2019 10:11 IST

A serving army man and his five aides attacked an assistant sub-inspector with swords and rods following an argument over traffic at Amritsar’s Gehri Mandi chowk on Sunday.

On Saturday, the victim ASI Jassa Singh, who is in-charge of Gehri Mandi police post, was on his way to work around 8pm, when he noticed a traffic jam around the Gehri Mandi chowk and began managing the traffic. Jassa observed that the accused Gurpreet Singh of Khela village, who is posted as an army jawan at Chandimandir cantonment, was drunk and asked him to park his motorcycle on the side. Gurpreet began arguing with Jassa and drew out a sword. Five of his aides also joined in the attack and began thrashing Jassa with swords and rods, police said.

“When ASI Balwinder Singh and his team reached the spot, they saw the accused attacking Jassa. The accused were unrelenting in their attack and let go of Jassa only after Balwinder fired in the air,” the SSP Parampal Singh. “The accused intended to kill him.”

Gurpreet and his aide Sukhjinder Singh of Bhangwan village were arrested while the others fled the spot.

Jassa was rushed to a hospital and doctors say he is out of danger.

A case was registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assaulting a public servant), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 332 (voluntarily hurting a public servant to deter him from performing his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The incident took place around 8pm on Saturday when the ASI was controlling traffic at Gehri Mandi Chowk.

The victim is ASI Jassa Singh, who is posted as the in-charge of Gehri Mandi police post, while the accused are Gurpreet Singh of Khela village, who is posted as an Army jawan at Chandimandir Cantonment, and his aide Sukhjinder Singh of Bhangwan village. However, the identity of four other accused, who are said to be the aides of Gurpreet, yet to be ascertained by the police.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP-rural) Parampal Singh said, “On Saturday, ASI Jassa Singh was on his way to Gehri Mandi police post. When he reached near Gehri Mandi Chowk, he saw a traffic jam there. He started controlling traffic in the roundabout. Meanwhile, the accused who were also present in the Chowk started arguing with the ASI. Later on, the accused attacked on the cop with rods and swords with an intention to kill.”

He said, “When ASI Balwinder Singh and other policemen, who were present in Gehri Mandi police post, got information about the incident, they, immediately, rushed to the spot and saw the ASI Jassa Singh was still being thrashed by the accused. Since the accused were not letting the ASI go, ASI Balwinder Singh had to open a shot in the air to rescue Jassa Singh. Later, the police team arrested Gurpreet Singh and Sukhjinder Singh on the spot while four of their aides were managed to flee from the spot.”

He said ASI Jassa Singh was admitted to a hospital in Amritsar and his condition is stated to be out of danger now.

Deputy superintendent of police (DSP-Jandiala) Gurmeet Singh Cheema said, “Gurpreet Singh along with his aides was in an inebriated state. When the ASI asked Gurpreet to aside his motorcycle from the road, the duo entered into a brawl. Soon after this, the ASI was brutally attacked by the accused.”

The SSP said they have registered a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Jandiala police station.