Phagwara clashes: 'key accused' held

Police today claimed to have arrested the key accused in connection with a clash that took place between two groups over a land dispute here.
Sukhwinder Singh alias Bittu Nihang was arrested yesterday and produced in a local court that sent him into judicial custody, police said.
He was arrested in connection with a case registered against a mob of Sikh youths for alleged firing, armed rioting, murderous assault, attack, stone-pelting, in a bid to grab two 'Udaseen Dharamsalas' owned by Mahant Varinder Das, Head of Dera Udaseen, at local Mohalla Bedian Subhash Nagar and Mohalla Satkartarian in the vicinity of Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi here on July 25, they said.

The Mahant had moved Punjab and Haryana High Court after police's alleged failure in arresting the culprits.
He and his family members were allegedly made the target of the armed attack by the mob.
Notably, they had resisted the mob and then a heavy police force, headed by Phagwara DSP Manpreet Singh Dhillon, had dispersed the mob.
However, the Mahant had alleged that the police had been dragging its feet in arresting the culprits.
The case was registered under various sections of the IPC including 307 (attempt to murder), 450 (house trespass in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment for life), 427 (mischief causing damage to property), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), besides other sections, police added.