Attack on Shiv Sena leader Sandeep Thapar not planned, says initial investigation | Ludhiana News

LUDHIANA: Initial investigations into the attack on Shiv Sena Punjab leader Sandeep Thapar suggest that it was a sudden attack and not planned in advance. Police said the attackers, three Nihang Sikhs, had gone to Ludhiana Hospital for a drug test as they were undergoing detoxification. When they came out of the hospital, they spotted Thapar.

Police said according to the accused, Thapar had spoken against extremist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other members of the Sikh community, which they remembered when they saw him. They also had an argument with him over the same and then attacked him with a sword. To confirm the accused’s claims and check if they have any links with some miscreants who might have planned this conspiracy, police are getting the accused’s mobile phones examined by forensics.

On Friday afternoon, Thapar had gone to the office of an NGO at Ludhiana Civil Hospital to attend a ceremony to mark the death anniversary of founder Ravinder Arora. Thapar was returning from there on his scooter when he was attacked outside the Civil Hospital at around 11.30 am. Thapar was riding the scooter while his gunman, ASI Sukhwant, was riding pillion.

When the three Nihang Sikhs were walking out of the hospital, the scooter was moving slowly due to traffic. They blocked his path and started a fight. In response, Thapar folded his hands, but one of the accused attacked him with a sword while the other two accused cornered Thapar’s gunmen. After repeatedly attacking Thapar, two of the accused drove away on his scooter.

Thapar was admitted to hospital where his condition is said to be stable. Hours later, Ludhiana police, in a joint operation with Fatehgarh Sahib police, arrested Sarabjit Singh Sabha (34) of Tibba Road in Ludhiana and Harjit Singh Jota (35) of Bhamian.

Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal said that while questioning the accused, police found that both the accused had gone to the hospital to get medicines and that they had seen Thapar when they left the hospital. “The accused had seen Thapar’s videos in which he had spoken out against Bhindrawale and other hardliners. The accused were angry about this. When they saw Thapar, they remembered his videos. The accused argued with Thapar and then attacked him with swords,” Chahal said.

Though the accused have claimed that they did not attack Thapar as part of a conspiracy, the police are verifying these claims, Chahal said. “The mobile phones of both the accused are being examined by the forensic department to find out whether they were in touch with the miscreants or not,” he said, adding that they have received clues about absconding accused Tehal Singh, who is expected to be nabbed soon. On the criminal records of the accused, he said none of the accused has any criminal record.