A significant controversy has erupted in Patiala district, Punjab, following the alleged brutal assault of an Indian Army officer of Colonel rank and his son by Punjab Police personnel. The incident, stemming from a parking dispute, occurred on March 13th outside a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital and was captured on CCTV, with the video subsequently going viral.
The altercation reportedly began when police personnel, dressed in civilian clothes, requested Colonel Bath to move his vehicle. A heated exchange ensued, rapidly escalating into physical violence. The police officers are accused of kicking and punching Colonel Bath and his son, and using baseball bats to inflict further injuries. Both victims sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.
According to reports, the police officers were en route to the hospital following an encounter with kidnappers, during which a 7-year-old child was rescued and an accused was shot dead. One of the accused policemen claimed that Colonel Bath and his son were intoxicated and initiated the violence. “They were inebriated and attacked us,” he alleged.
However, Colonel Pushpinder Bath’s wife, Jaswinder Bath, presented a different account at a press conference in Patiala. She stated that the family was standing outside their car, eating, when the police demanded that her husband move the vehicle to accommodate theirs. “When my husband objected to their language, one of them punched him. Later, all the police personnel thrashed my husband and my son, leaving them injured,” she said.
The police have registered an FIR based on the statement of a local eatery owner, and an investigation is underway. Dr. Nanak Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-Patiala, confirmed that 12 police personnel have been suspended in connection with the assault. He also announced that a departmental inquiry has been ordered, to be completed within 45 days. The SSP also offered an apology on behalf of the Punjab Police.