Two supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were injured in a clash at the block development and panchayat office (BDPO) in Jalalabad of Fazilka district on Saturday.
One of them is said to be critical. Gunshots were reportedly fired during the incident. The clash broke out when Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Vardev Singh Nonni Mann and other party workers arrived at the BDPO office where AAP workers were also present, the police said.
One of the relatives of Mann is contesting the rural body elections. According to information, Mann’s group feared that the nomination papers of their camp would be rejected on a complaint of AAP-backed sarpanch candidate Mandeep Brar, who is in the fray from Muhammadewala village. There have been allegations against Nonni Mann’s camp regarding illegal land possession.
The dispute turned violent when Mandeep reportedly got into an argument with the Mann group, resulting in firing. Mandeep Brar sustained a gunshot wound in his chest and was immediately referred to the DMC in Ludhiana for advanced medical care. The other injured worker, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, sustained a shot in his hand and was referred to a hospital in Faridkot.
Fazilka SSP Varinder Singh Brar, who visited the crime scene, said the accused had a grudge against Mandeep who had filed a complaint against his opponents regarding an “illegal” possession of panchayat land for a private school in their native village Chak Suhele Wala. Following complaint, a no objection certificate issued by the state government for the said school was also withdrawn. A litigation has also been filed.
The police said the process is on to register a case against the accused. The SSP assured that a thorough investigation is underway.
Jalalabad MLA and AAP leader Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy also rushed to the hospital to meet the victims. He termed the incident “tragic and unfortunate”.
Jasbir Singh Johal, a counsel of Noni Mann, said, “More than 100 AAP supporters initiated the clash. They attacked with stones as Noni and his associates were about to leave the venue, damaging their vehicle. They (Noni and his supporters) managed to escape unhurt.”
Repeated attempts to establish contact with Vardev Noni Mann turned futile as he didn’t respond.
Vardev Noni Mann is the elder son of late SAD stalwart and three-time Ferozepur MP Zora Singh Mann. Noni had unsuccessfully contested from Guru Har Sahai while his brother Nardev, alias Bobby Mann, unsuccessfully contested the recent MP polls as SAD nominee from Ferozepur.