Beaten over parking? 12 Punjab cops booked for attacking Army Colonel

Punjab: After public outrage, Punjab Police registered a fresh FIR against 12 police officials on Friday, based on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath’s statement. The high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct a day-to-day probe into the alleged assault that left the Colonel injured.

The FIR, registered at Civil Lines police station, Patiala, names Inspectors Ronni Singh, Harjinder Dhillon, and Harry Boparai, along with eight unidentified individuals. They have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, and criminal intimidation.

The incident took place on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, when Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son were at a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. The family claimed that when the two were standing outside their car and having food, some police officers in civilian clothes approached and asked the Colonel to move his vehicle so they could park theirs.

When the Colonel objected to their rude tone, one of the officers punched him, and soon all the police personnel began thrashing him and his son. The Colonel's arm was broken, and his son suffered a long cut on his head.

The family had also rejected the probe by an executive magistrate ordered by the Punjab government on Thursday. Bath said that the FIR was registered based on the statement of the dhaba owner, not on the statement of her husband, the victim.

"For seven days, I have been moving from pillar to post," she said, frequently breaking down in tears as her voice choked with emotion. "My husband is a uniformed person. We are part of the Army family," she added. The Colonel is currently posted at Army Headquarters, New Delhi.

She displayed photos from the day of the alleged assault, showing her husband with injuries and her son bleeding from the face.

Formation of Special Investigation Team (SIT)

Following pressure from the Colonel’s family and ex-servicemen groups, a three-member SIT has been set up, led by Additional DGP SPS Parmar. Other members include SSP Sandeep Malik (Hoshiarpur) and SP Manpreet Singh (SAS Nagar Rural). The SIT will conduct daily investigations to ensure legal action against the accused officers.

The Colonel’s wife, Jasvinder Kaur, met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who directed the DGP to register the FIR. Addressing a press conference, Jasvinder broke down, calling the attack an “unimaginable act of brutality”. She alleged that Patiala SSP Nanak Singh delayed registering the FIR, despite repeated requests.

She also claimed that officials pressured her to drop the case, even when she presented videos of the accused seeking forgiveness. The family rejected an earlier probe by an executive magistrate and is now demanding a CBI investigation.

Action against the accused officers

• All 12 named police officers have been suspended.
• Departmental proceedings for major punishment have been initiated.
• The DIG Patiala Range has been instructed to transfer all accused officials out of the district.
• The Punjab ADGP (Security) has been ordered to provide protection to Colonel Bath’s family.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with ex-Army officers and veterans rallying behind the family. While Punjab Police has assured a fair investigation, the Colonel’s wife insists that only an independent CBI probe can ensure justice.