Punjab SSP Sumedh Singh Saini's attack on Lieutenant-Colonel Ravi Vats galls the army

Saini: thuggish actionsCorners couldn't get any tighter than the one Senior Superintendent of Police, Punjab, Sumedh Singh Saini, finds himself in now. Last fortnight, Saini, used to riding roughshod over people, really got himself into an unholy row when he assaulted Lieutenant-Colonel Ravi Vats in Chandigarh for no obvious reason.An unsuspecting Vats, on holiday from Leh where he is posted, stepped out of his house to check out some gunshots, only to find himself being mysteriously attacked by the high-profile SSP. Initially, the shoot-out was presumed to be a militant attack on the SSP'S bodyguard, Head Constable Raj Kumar.Vats wasn't even given an opportunity to explain his presence. Encouraged by their boss, the SSP'S security guards joined Saini in beating up the army officer. Even after the military officer, who was dressed in civvies at that time, identified himself, he was bundled away and taken to the police station for the night. Vats, who spent a night in illegal detention, was released only after the personal intervention of Chief Minister Beant Singh and Punjab Police chief K.P.S. Gill. A medical examination established the fact that Vats had received severe injuries caused by a beating during his night spent at the police station.Saini is now trying desperately to wriggle out of the whole unsavoury affair. Determined to destroy every shred of evidence indicating his involvement in the sorry episode, he extended his intimidatory tactics to journalists too. He forced a photographer of the Indian Express to hand over his film rolls on which the latter had actually shot the beating up of Vats by the police.Naturally, the army has not taken too kindly to the entire affair. In fact, the spat has by now snowballed into a nasty battle between the army and the Punjab Police. While the top police brass has offered unqualified apologies to the army as well as to the journalists, the army authorities are not willing to be satisfied by this alone.Though a complaint has been lodged, police officials are dragging their feet on registering an FIR naming the SSP. Meanwhile, the army continues to say that it will not be satisfied with anything less than a joint probe and has taken the matter up with Punjab Governor SurendraNath. Its uncompromising stance worked. The governor ordered a joint inquiry into the assault on the army officer, to be conducted by a DIG of police and an army brigadier.With the army and the police - the two forces meant to be jointly fighting terrorism in Punjab - battling it out with each other, chances of peace in Punjab have received a setback.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Dec 21, 2012 16:03 IST--- ENDS ---

Download App

Get 37% off on an annual Print +Digital subscription of India Today Magazine

Punjab SSP Sumedh Singh Saini's attack on Lieutenant-Colonel Ravi Vats galls the army

Punjab SSP's attack on officer galls the army.

PUBLICATIONS

TELEVISION

EVENTS

RADIO

GAMING

USEFUL LINKS

PRINTING

WELFARE

DISTRIBUTION

SYNDICATIONS

WEBSITES

EDUCATION