Congress seeks arrest of Punjab Police personnel who assaulted an army officer in Patiala-OxBig News Network

Congress Party leaders briefing by Alok Sharma, secretary, Punjab, (C) along with col. Rohit Chaudhary (Retd), chairman, Ex-Servicemen Dept. (L) and Col Pramod Sharma (R), at AICC in New Delhi on Saturday, March 22, 2025
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

The Congress on Saturday (March 22, 2025) condemned the assault of a serving Colonel in the Indian army, by Punjab Police personnel in Patiala, and demanded that the guilty policemen be arrested immediately and the inquiry be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Head of the Congress’s ex-servicemen cell, Colonel Rohit Chaudhary (retired), and All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary for Punjab, Alok Sharma, accused the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, of trying to hush up the case and protect those accused of beating up Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath.

The alleged attack over a parking dispute took place on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, when Colonel Bath and his son went to a roadside restaurant near the Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.

“The incident is condemnable and a perfect example of the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Punjab. The drug mafia is spread in the entire the state and people are terrorised by the mafia and police raj. The Aam Admi Party (AAP) government has ruined the State. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the AAP government are fully responsible for this incident,”Mr Chaudhary said.

The Congress leaders claimed that an FIR was not lodged even four days after the incident and demanded that those responsible for beating up Col. Bath be arrested, and legal proceedings be initiated against them and they be dismissed from service.

On Saturday, Colonel Bath’s wife, who has accused 12 Punjab Police personnel of assaulting her husband and son, also staged a sit-in protest outside the office of Patiala Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Mr. Chaudhary and Mr. Sharma said Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh should be removed from his position immediately and his name included in the FIR for trying to “protect the accused and influence the case by pressurising the victim’s family”. They also cited the close ties between Mr. Singh and the Chief Minister.

“The accused police personnel should be arrested and dismissed from service. The probe should also be handed over to the CBI to ensure justice. Besides, Army officials should be included in the SIT to probe the incident,” the Congress leader said, adding that top army officers should intervene in the matter.

Mr. Chaudhary said a law should be enacted to protect former armed forces personnel and their families to ensure that no one misbehaved with those who have served the country.