The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Patiala on Monday suspended 12 police officers, ranging from constables to inspectors, regarding an assault of a serving Army officer and his son on the night of March 13-14. The incident sparked outrage among members of the defence community after CCTV footage of the attack went viral on social media. Initially, the Patiala police seemed to protect their personnel by registering an FIR against unknown individuals, even though the complainant had identified three inspectors by name.
During a press conference on Monday, SSP Dr. Nanak Singh announced that a departmental inquiry had been initiated against all suspended officers, with the investigation expected to conclude within 45 days. He also expressed regret for the incident, stating, “We apologise for the incident involving the Army officer and extend our full respect to him. We have the utmost regard for Army personnel.”
Dr. Singh clarified that neither the Colonel nor the police officers involved were in uniform at the time of the altercation. In response to the assault, both the Western Command headquarters and the 1 Armoured Division in Patiala have raised concerns with the Punjab government and police.
Defence community responds
According to the Indian Express, a statement from the Western Command’s headquarters outlined that the altercation between the Army officer, who was on leave in Patiala, and the police occurred shortly after midnight on March 13-14. The statement further emphasised that the issue is being addressed swiftly at both the state and local levels, with assurances of strict action against the involved police officers and a prompt, time-bound inquiry.
The statement also confirmed that the officer was transferred to the Military Hospital (MH) and that all necessary assistance is being provided. Both the local civilian administration and police officials have visited the officer in the hospital to offer their support and reassurances.
Patiala assault incident
The incident occurred when Colonel Pushpinder Singh Batth, a serving officer stationed at the Army Headquarters in New Delhi, and his son were assaulted over a parking dispute near a dhaba close to Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.
According to the Indian Express, Jaswinder Batth, the wife of the Colonel, claimed that the family was eating outside their car when several police officers, including Inspectors Harjinder Dhillon, Harry Boparai, and Rauni Singh, instructed them to move their vehicle to accommodate the police. When the Colonel objected to their tone, a physical altercation ensued.