The tall claims of ensuring proper law and order situation to instill confidence in common masses in Himachal Pradesh (HP) seems to have been fallen flat after a senior citizen was brutally assaulted for no reason at all.

The incident reportedly took place in the wee hours on 7 February when 78-year-old Tara Chand had to answer nature’s call from his makeshift shop-cum-residence in Santokhgarh area of Una district of HP, around 150 km from here.

Advertisement

“As I was returning to my shop after answering nature’s call at around 3 a.m., I was stopped by two Home Guards and questioned whether I was trying to steal something,” Tara Chand said, who works as cobbler.

As I was trying to explain, the jawans started assaulting me without any reason after which they left, he further alleged, adding there was no one present at that time who could have explained or came forward to help him.

Chand narrated the incident to his family who resides in Ward no. 3 of Santokhgarh after his son, Chaman reported the case to local police station. “Though no action has been taken against the erring cops even after one week,” Chaman said, adding the police didn’t even provide him with a copy of the FIR till date.

He said they had approached the local police station the next day for filing case against the accused jawans but they simply told us that inquiry has been ordered in the case.

“We approached Superintendent of Police (SP), Una on 9 February who marked the case to local police station but their response remained the same. After this, we again approached SP who directed the cops take Tara Chand for medical examination, however, the cops told us that they hadn’t received the medical report and action would be taken only after that,” he told The Statesman.

Though the police officials denied Chand’s claims that he was assaulted and said he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of incident.

“Even the medical report had pointed out towards alcohol content in the victim’s blood and it might be possible that he had fell down, resulting in the injuries on his body,” a Police official posted with Santokhgarh police post said.

Police sources said it could also be a case of mistaken identity as the man was moving towards an open shop and might have assumed him to be a thief. “Though investigations could reveal the whole facts in the case,” sources said.

Source said generally police officials in an area recognise all the residents in their beats where they are posted for patrolling duty. “As a matter of fact Home guards are to be accompanied by Police jawans if they are engaged in patrolling but this was not done in the case,” sources said.