punjab

Updated: Oct 17, 2017 11:04 IST

A Dalit man was killed and 9 others were injured after a dispute over panchayat land turned ugly at Shahpur Kalan village of Sangrur on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as Teja Singh, 62, a labourer. The situation in the village is tense and cops have been deployed to keep vigil.

The Nihangs also allegedly attacked and thrashed some Dalit women who are undergoing treatment along with other injured at a Sunam hospital.

Sources said some Nihangs had occupied land which the panchayat had allotted to 54 Dalit families of the village to build their houses. The Nihangs ploughed the land on Saturday night. “When we went to talk to them on Sunday, they attacked us with sharp-edged weapons,” said a member of the community.

The Nihangs also allegedly attacked and thrashed some Dalit women who are undergoing treatment along with other injured at a Sunam hospital. Two Nihangs who were injured in the clash were taken to a private hospital in Sangrur.

“We had passed a resolution to allot 54 plots to Dalits last year but Nihangs took the possession of the land forcefully,” said Gurdev Singh, husband of the village sarpanch Jaspal Kaur.

“They killed my father who was fighting for our rights. I want justice,” said Jasvir Singh, Teja Singh’s son.

“We have registered a case against 11 persons and they will be arrested soon,” said Sunam deputy superintendent of police William Jeji. The accused have been booked for murder and under SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.