Chandigarh, March 17 – A group of Punjab Police personnel allegedly assaulted Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son outside a dhaba in Patiala following a parking dispute on March 13.
The officer, posted at Army Headquarters in New Delhi, suffered serious injuries, including a fractured arm and facial wounds.
Despite initially filing an FIR against unidentified persons, police named the accused only after intervention from senior army officials.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, leading to the suspension of 12 police personnel, including three inspectors.
Patiala SSP Nanak Singh issued an apology and assured a thorough investigation into the matter.
Reacting strongly, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa called for the immediate dismissal of the accused officers and a judicial probe. “Despite identifying himself, Colonel Bath was beaten and abused. Is this how the AAP-led government treats those who serve the nation?” he questioned.
Bajwa also accused the Punjab government of enabling police excesses. “AAP has turned Punjab into a police state, and they will have to answer for this lawlessness,” he said, warning that he would raise the issue in the upcoming Punjab Assembly budget session if strict action was not taken.
Criticizing AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Bajwa added, “He just returned from Vipassana meditation—he owes Punjab an explanation for his party’s high-handedness.”
