UP Sikh panel member hit in face by hammer
WSN Network

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh State minority commission member and prabhandhak committee chief Rajendra Singh Bagga was hit on the face with a hammer by a group of men in the Naka Gurdwara on Tuesday morning. He was rushed to the district hospital and operated upon. A named FIR was lodged against the culprits. Three of them were later arrested.

According to reports, Bhaskar Sen resides on the first floor of the Bada Gurdwara Building adjacent to the gurdwara in Naka Hindola. Bagga had accused Bhaskar of taking an illegal water connection from the gurdwara. A week back, Jal Nigam employees had visited the place to disconnect the water supply but were reportedly chased away by Sens. On Tuesday, about six Jal Nigam personnel again arrived for the same purpose. This time, they were accompanied by a sub-inspector and two constables.

While the team busied itself with disconnection of water connection, Bhaskar Sen, his wife Kusum and their two grown up sons - Amitabh and Anurag - created a scene. They allegedly got support from one Jaspal Singh and his son Maninder. Jaspal owns a grocery shop across the road and has a dispute with Bagga over alleged encroachment of gurdwara land. Dharmic secretary and Bagga's associate, accompanied by a few men, countered the shouting and opposition.

Later, Amitabh, Jaspal and Maninder accompanied by a few others, chased Tikku who ran inside the gurdwara and entered its office where Bagga was watching the entire scene along with his personal security officer. Though the PSO tried to stop the attackers, one man managed to hit Bagga on his nose with a hammer. Bagga was rushed to the Balrampur District Hospital where he was operated upon. Later, an FIR was lodged by Bagga with the Naka police station against Amitabh, Jaspal, Maninder, Anurag and others for attempt to murder. While Anurag is on the run, the other three have been arrested. Interestingly, policemen accompanying the Jal Nigam personnel fled from the scene when the two groups clashed. 

31 October, 2007