AAP lawmaker attacked by mining mafia, Amarinder seeks report

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Amarjit Singh Sandoa was injured on Thursday after he and his security personnel were attacked by sand mafia goons in Punjab's Ropar district.

Taking serious note of the incident, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh sought a detailed report from the Deputy Commissioner of Rupnagar (Ropar) on the incident.

Sandoa was attacked near Baihara village when he had gone to see an illegal sand mining site.

When Sandoa, the AAP legislator from Ropar, objected to the illegal activity, the goons attacked him and his security personnel. The attack was video recorded by the media accompanying Sandoa.

Hit on the chest by a stone, Sandoa was admitted to a hospital in Anandpur Sahib and later referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here.

However, the other side claimed that the legislator was demanding money from them and had enacted the drama.

The Punjab Police arrested three people allegedly involved in the attack on Sandoa.

Seeking a report on the incident, Amarinder Singh "made it clear that lawlessness would not be tolerated in the state under any circumstances and asked the DC to ensure a free and fair probe to ascertain the facts of the matter," a spokesman for the chief minister said here.

"The Chief Minister asked the DGP to crack down on the remaining suspects and ensure their immediate arrest," he said.

The two PSOs (personal security officers) attached to the MLA have also come under the Chief Minister's scanner for evidently failing to protect him.

"They have been transferred to the Police Lines and the Chief Minister has directed the DGP to investigate their role in the entire episode," the spokesman said.

Besides Sandoa, his gunman Head Constable Sukhdeep Singh was also injured in the attack.

The spokesman disclosed that three relatives of Ajwinder Singh of village Baihara had been arrested.

"Ajwinder and another accused, Bachittar Singh of village Bhauwal, had fled after the incident and were expected to be arrested soon," he added.

Those arrested had been identified as Jaswinder Singh Goldy, Manjit Singh and Amarjit Singh, all residents of village Baihara.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira and Lok Insaf Party leader Simarjit Singh Bains alleged that the sand mafia goons had the backing of the ruling Congress leadership in Punjab and were openly assaulting lawmakers and officials who were objecting to their illegal activities.

Bains demanded that Chief Minister Amarinder Singh should resign as his government had failed to enforce law and order.

--IANS

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