In a second case of “mistaken identity” in two months, six Punjab cops, allegedly in an inebriated condition, chased a Ford Figo car and indiscriminately fired at two photographer brothers, seriously injuring both, near Dhuri town in Sangrur district on Tuesday night.
According to officials, the cops mistook the duo for gangsters. An Akali leader was shot dead in Amritsar on June 17 after cops suspected him of being a notorious goon. A case has been registered under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC against six “unidentified” cops, who are deputed in CIA wing of Sangrur police. Satinder Kumar alias Honey, who is undergoing treatment at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Ludhiana, along with his brother Sunil alias Happy, told reporters that the incident occurred between Farwahi and Katron villages near Dhuri. The brothers, who run a studio in Sherpur town, were returning from Malerkotla after attending a function when the incident occurred. “We had reached Farwahi around 10pm when a Martui Swift approached us and someone from that car fired at us, breaking the windowpane in front of me. I was hit in the arm and thought we had been attacked by robbers. I immediately stepped on the gas,” he said. “The Swift chased us for around three kilometres and they repeatedly fired at our car. I lost control of the car near Katron village and it veered off the road before coming to a halt right in front of the Swift. Even after our vehicle halted, the firing continued and we saved ourselves by crouching behind the seats. When we tried to get down, they fired at my brother’s shoulder and started beating us with rifle butts,” he added. Once they got out of the car, the duo realized that the attackers were not robbers but cops. Satinder claimed a few villagers, who were attending a religious function nearby, reached the spot after hearing the gunfire and helped them.