7 held for chopping off cop's hand, attacking others in Patiala, Punjab

Seven suspects, donning the robes of Nihangs, have been arrested from a Gurdwara in Balbera village in connection with an alleged attack on a policeman and others here at a vegetable market in Patiala on Sunday morning.

"Seven fugitives, donning the robes of Nihangs, have been arrested from Gurdwara in village Balbera. One of the suspects was injured in police firing and has been rushed to the hospital. The operation was supervised by IG Patiala Zone, Jatinder Singh Aulakh," KBS Sidhu, Punjab Special Chief Secretary said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Patiala MP and wife of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Preneet Kaur, called the incident highly condemnable and said that an attempt to murder case has been lodged and strictest action is being taken against the accused.

"I have spoken to doctors at PGI and surgery of ASI Harjeet Singh has already started. Police have registered attempt to murder case against the accused. This behavior is highly condemnable and the strictest action is being taken," she tweeted.

A policeman's hand was chopped off and few others were injured when a group of Nihangs (an armed order of the Sikh community) allegedly attacked them at a vegetable market in Punjab's Patiala district on Sunday, police said.The incident took place when restrictions are in place in the state due to the COVID-19 lockdown.According to Dinkar Gupta, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police (ASI) Harjeet Singh's hand got cut off in the incident and he was immediately rushed to the PGI Chandigarh for surgery.Gupta spoke to PGI's Director who has deputed top plastic surgeons of PGI for the police officer's surgery, which has begun. The DGP said that the Nihang group will be arrested and action will be initiated against them soon.