Police have registered an FIR against seven named men and several unidentified people from Ganaula village after two Sikh brothers alleged they were brutally assaulted and their turbans and hair were disrespected.
The case was filed on May 8 at Chhachhrauli police station on the complaint of Amandeep Singh, a resident of Ganaula. Those named in the FIR include Diwan Chand, Harpreet, Gurpreet, Munna, Babbu, Moman, and Ashu, all from the same village. Charges have been invoked under Sections 115, 126, 127(2), 190, 191(3) and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred on April 29 around 7:30 pm when Amandeep and his elder brother Harshdeep Singh went to their agricultural fields to start a tubewell. Amandeep said the group, led by Harpreet, shone a light in his face. When he questioned them, saying they were from the same village, the men allegedly began abusing the brothers.
“The accused persons came armed with sticks and rods and started beating us. They hurled jokes about our religion and dragged us by our hair. They disrespected our turbans,” he stated in the complaint.
The matter came to public attention after a video of the assault surfaced online on May 3. Amandeep alleged the clip was intentionally uploaded to hurt Sikh religious sentiments. He said the video surfaced after village elders had attempted to mediate an agreement between the parties.
Chhachhrauli SHO Raj Pal said Gurpreet was arrested in connection with the case and produced before a court in Bilaspur on Saturday. The court later granted him bail.
