PTI
Chandigarh, June 16
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal on Sunday said the Punjab Police would register a ‘Zero FIR’ in connection with assault on a Punjab-origin NRI, who alleged that he was beaten up by a group of men over parking in Himachal Pradesh’s Dalhousie.
A ‘Zero FIR’ can be filed at any police station, irrespective of the place of incident or jurisdiction, and can later be transferred to the appropriate police station.
Dhaliwal’s statement came in the wake of NRI Kawaljit Singh, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Amritsar, claiming that he was targeted as he is a Punjabi.
The Himachal Pradesh Police, however, has maintained that the incident is not linked to any “inter-state or inter-community dispute”.
Dhaliwal, who on Sunday visited the hospital where Singh is under treatment, said, “I have asked the victim’s family to give its statement to the police.”
He said he also tried to talk to the Himachal DGP, who said he was out of the state.
Dhaliwal said that in a day or two, he would meet the Himachal chief minister and the DGP and would hand over a copy of the FIR to them.
Dhaliwal said that every day, thousands of people from Punjab visit tourist places like Shimla, Manali, Kasauli and Dalhousie, and such incidents were not good from the tourism perspective.
“The economy of Himachal heavily depends on tourism. Such incidents will create fear and doubt in the minds of tourists. Therefore, the Himachal government should take strict action against the culprits,” he said.
Singh and his Spanish wife, who had been living in Spain for 25 years, returned to Punjab recently. Singh said he had gone to Dalhousie with his wife and a relative a few days ago.
He alleged that he was attacked by a group of around 100 people following an argument over a parking issue.
He also accused the HP Police of showing apathy. However, an IPS officer from the state claimed such was not the case.
“Singh had come to Khajjiar in Chamba district and was doing palm reading for some women. Someone felt offended by this act and there was a scuffle. Later, both parties reached a compromise in front of the police,” IG (Northern Range) Santosh Patial had said on Saturday.
“He had given in writing that he wanted no legal action and left,” the officer said.
“There is nothing like an inter-state or inter-community dispute and tourists are welcome in Himachal,” Patial said, dismissing the row as a stray incident.
On Saturday, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Akali leader Bikram Majithia demanded that the Himachal government take action in the matter.
#Dalhousie
#Punjab Police
