Punjab Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Palta attacked with hockey sticks during donation drive, 5 miscreants booked

Phagwara: Taking swift action against the miscreants involved in assaulting Shiv Sena Punjab Vice-President Rajesh Palta on Saturday late evening, the police have registered a case against five youths identified as Tanish alias Bhinda, Abhi, Anmol, Gagan, and Mattu (all residents of Subhash Nagar Phagwara) and their four unknown accomplices on the charges of assaulting and seriously injuring Sena leader and vandalising a shop of another youth Shiv Sena President Rahul Karwal in Khalwara Gate Phagwara.

SP Phagwara Roopinder Kaur Bhatti, while confirming it here on Sunday morning, said ASI Ishru Parshad has been appointed Investigating Officer for this case. She said the police are working from different angles to trace the case, and even CCTVs installed in surrounding localities are being scanned to bring the truth to light.

Meanwhile, when contacted, SSP Kapurthala Vatsalya Gupta said peace and communal harmony would be maintained at all costs. He said that lawbreakers could not be spared.

It may be mentioned here that more than half a dozen miscreants attacked and wounded Shiv Sena Punjab Vice President Rajesh Palta with hockey sticks when he, along with other Sena leaders Vipin Sharma, Jimmy Karwal, and Vinay, were collecting donations for the Shobha Yatra of Maha Shiv Ratri in Subhash Nagar Chowk on Saturday late in the evening.

Palta was admitted to a local civil hospital with multiple blunt injuries. SMO Dr. Lehimber Ram said the condition of the injured Palta was stable now.

SP Phagwara Roopinder Kaur Bhatti said after a minor scuffle, the miscreants attacked Sena Leader Palta when Sena activists went to BH Jewellers for collection and attacked him while his other friends managed to escape from the attackers.

Palta told the cops that the attackers snatched a bag of collections worth about Rs 30,000. Several Shiv Sena leaders from all corners of the state arrived at Phagwara in support of Palta, while Shiv Sena Punjab leaders Inderjit Karwal, Vipin Sharma, Rajiv Chahal, Sanju Chahal (BJYM Pgw Ex-President), and Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti Punjab Ex-President Deepak Bhardwaj also rushed to the civil hospital. However, the police are keeping an eye on the prevailing situation, said SSP Gupta.