Faridkot – Jarnail Singh (65), who was allegedly thrashed by Akali workers and police personnel after he had slapped Minister for rural development and panchayats Sikander Singh Maluka during his visit to Hamirgarh village on Friday, was admitted to Hospital by villagers in an unconscious state. The police is tightlipped over his condition.
According to information, Maluka’s turban was dislocated slightly as Jarnail Singh had pushed Maluka when he was going to the stage to address people in Hamirgarh village of Bathinda, Jarnail Singh (65) is now being treated for trauma in the surgery ward of a Faridkot hospital.
Doctors said he was brutally thrashed with blunt objects. Though X-ray reports are awaited, the MRI scan reveals swelling in his head. His condition was described as stable. Jarnail Singh had reportedly been missing for four hours after he “slapped” Maluka during a public function yesterday.
He was allegedly picked up by some young supporters of the minister.
“We were desperately looking for Jarnail Singh. Around 8pm, an Akali leader told Naib Singh, former Akali sarpanch of the village, that Jarnail was admitted to the Civil Hospital Bhagta Bhai Ka,” said Hardial Singh, former Hamirgarh sarpanch.
“We found Jarnail unconscious in a vehicle. When doctors said he was serious and needed better care, we took him to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot, around 10pm yesterday,” he said.
Hardial Singh rubbished the police allegation that Jarnail Singh was mentally unstable. “He is a highly religious person. Father of two sons and a daughter, he never hurt anyone in the village. A devout Sikh and member of the village gurdwara committee, Jarnail Singh was reportedly upset over the recent sacrilege incidents in the state and had also participated in the protest by Sikh organisations at Kotkapura on October 14.” he said.
Nachhatar Singh, another resident of Hamirgarh, said: “As Jarnail’s condition deteriorated after severe thrashing, Maluka’s supporters might have presumed him dead and dumped him at Civil Hospital.”
Dialpura SHO Birbal Singh denied having registered a case against Jarnail.
He was taken to Bhagta Bhai ka police station. Bapu is extremely critical after merciless beating by Maluka supporters and has been taken to Faridkot Civil Hospital.
I wasn’t slapped: Maluka
Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka today denied reports that he was slapped by Jarnail Singh Khalsa in Hamirgarh village on Friday, adding that he was merely pushed. Maluka said policemen stopped Khalsa before he could inflict any damage.