Ludhiana, Punjab – Police in Ludhiana have registered a case against a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) councillor accused of assaulting a Superintending Engineer of the Municipal Corporation. The incident allegedly occurred at the engineer’s office over a dispute concerning road repair works in the councillor’s ward.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against Chatarvir Singh, also known as Kamal Arora, who represents Ward No. 20. The FIR includes charges related to obstructing a public servant from discharging their official duties, damaging government property, and other relevant legal provisions. As of the latest reports, the councillor has not been apprehended.
The complainant, Parveen Kumar Singla, Superintending Engineer of the Municipal Corporation’s Building and Roads (B&R) branch, stated that the alleged assault took place on June 10. According to Singla’s account to the police, he was at his office in Zone B of the Municipal Corporation performing his duties when the incident transpired. Contractor Vimal Tandon was reportedly present in the office at the time, attending to official matters.
Singla’s statement details that Councillor Chatarvir Singh entered his office, accompanied by an unidentified individual. The councillor, according to Singla, began verbally abusing him regarding the progress and quality of patchwork repairs being undertaken in his ward. The situation escalated when Singh allegedly grabbed Singla by his collar and physically assaulted him. The accompanying associate also reportedly joined in the altercation.
During the alleged scuffle, official documents that were present on the table were reportedly torn and scattered. When contractor Vimal Tandon attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, other municipal officials, including Junior Engineer Gaurav Kumar and Sub-Divisional Officer Balwinder Singh, were alerted by the commotion. They reportedly rushed to the scene, assisted in rescuing Singla, and guided the councillor towards the office exit in an effort to pacify the situation.
However, Singla further alleged that in a moment of anger, the councillor picked up a chair and threw it towards him. Singla claims he managed to evade the thrown chair, which subsequently struck an almirah, causing damage to both the chair and the furniture.
The Superintending Engineer also suggested that the alleged attack was part of a premeditated conspiracy. Following an initial investigation into the complaint, the Ludhiana police proceeded to register the case against Councillor Singh and his unidentified accomplice.
Addressing media personnel, Councillor Chatarvir Singh vehemently denied the allegations made against him. He asserted that the FIR registered was false and politically motivated. Singh claimed that development works in his ward were being neglected and that municipal officials were unresponsive to his communications. Describing the incident as a minor disagreement that had been exaggerated, Arora stated his intention to present evidence in court and to file a complaint with the vigilance department, seeking an investigation into the conduct of the engineer.
The Chenab Times News Desk