SIT formed to probe Parwanoo clash

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, February 12

An uneasy calm prevailed in Parwanoo with four reserve forces having been stationed for immediate action in case of any eventuality.

Additional SP Shiv Kumar Sharma informed that a special investigative team (SIT) headed by DSP Parwanoo had been constituted to investigate the case. SHO Dharampur was also part of this team.

Tension mounted in the town yesterday following a violent clash between rival factions of transport unions, leaving one person injured.

Working of Parwanoo police has come under a cloud with armed miscreants holding the town to ransom last evening despite prohibitory orders on carrying arms and ammunition having been issued by the Deputy Commissioner.

A mob carrying rods and cudgels indulged in rampage at Kasauli Chowk in police presence. Having scant regard for law, the armed mob attacked their rival transporters who were staging a dharna at Kasauli Chowk last evening. No preventive step was taken by the SHO who was present there along with the police force. Instead, they preferred to go into hiding.

Acting swiftly, DSP Parwanoo arrested Pramod Sharma, son of Amarnath Sharma who leads one transport group, last night and detained his two accomplices Sher Singh and Ghanshyam for indulging in rioting.

This peeved the Dhagger residents who sat on a dharna from 8:30 pm to 1:00 am last night demanding Sharma’s release. They also shouted slogans against the DSP while “favouring” the SHO. The SP and the DC also rushed to Parwanoo to take stock of the situation late in the evening.

When contacted, SP Solan Madhusudan Sharma said the law and order situation was under control and four reserve forces had been stationed in the town as a precautionary measure. He said appropriate action would be taken against the police officials found failing in their responsibility on receipt of such a complaint.

The police has registered a case of rioting and under the Arms Act against Pramod Sharma and others for yesterday’s violent incident.

Meanwhile, Hardeep Bawa, who heads the rival transport group, while addressing media persons, alleged that the SHO Sham Tomar was acting at the behest of the transporters group led by Amarnath Sharma and, despite been directed, failed to initiate any action against him. He also alleged that when the rival group attacked their peaceful dharna at Kasauli Chowk, he fled. Bawa claimed there was no dispute between the truck union and the canter union. He was president of the truck union which has a fleet of 450 trucks. A dispute was, instead, brewing between the canter union which has a fleet of about 430 vehicles and the Parwanoo Transport Co-operative Society led by Amarnath Sharma.