Congress councillor, JE clash at Panchkula MC chief's office

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 25

A councillor and a junior engineer entered into a clash at the Municipal Corporation office in Sector 14 here this afternoon.

An argument between the two had taken a violent turn when the JE, Rohit Saini, was allegedly attacked with a sharp object in the MC Commissioner’s office. Meanwhile, the councillor, Pankaj Valmiki refuted the allegation and accused the JE of provoking him.

On a complaint of the JE, the police registered a case against Congress councillors Pankaj Valmiki (ward number 6) and Akshay Chaudhary (ward number 17) and other unknown persons under Sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 14 police station.

A complaint by the Congress councillor, which also involves allegations of making casteist remarks against him, is yet to be converted into an FIR.

The JE, who received head injuries, underwent a medical examination at the Civil Hospital in Sector 6.

In his complaint, Rohit stated that around noon, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Deepak Sura called him to his office and the two Congress councillors and a BJP councillor, Jai Kaushik (ward number 4) were already sitting there.

“While I was speaking to Akshay, Pankaj interrupted. When I said I don’t know you, he started misbehaving with me. The DMC then asked me to go and sit in the Commissioner’s office. The two councillors and three-four others came there and started beating me up. Pankaj hit some sharp object in my head,” the JE alleged.

He further alleged that the councillors also damaged the property in the Commissioner’s office and threatened to kill him before leaving the spot. The incident was witnessed by several civic body employees.

Rohit’s medical report showed injury on the left side of his head where he received three stitches.

Countering the allegations, Pankaj Valmiki said, “We were just asking the JE about his non-cooperation in development works in our wards. We asked him why he was taking salary if he did not want to work. In reply, he said ‘who are you?’ and ‘I have seen many councillors like you’.”

“He didn’t stop there. He stood up and grabbed me by the neck. I informed the Mayor and senior Congress leaders about the incident. He then went to the Commissioner’s office. Meanwhile, our party leaders reached the spot. We asked him to come outside and apologise for his behaviour. As we went inside, he threw a landline phone set at me,” the councillor alleged.

The councillor has submitted a complaint to the Sector 14 police station.

The charge

While I was speaking to councillor Akshay Chaudhary, another councillor Pankaj Valmiki interrupted. When I said I don't know you, he started misbehaving with me. The Deputy Municipal Commissioner then asked me to go and sit in the Commissioner's office. The two councillors and three-four others came there and started beating me up. Pankaj hit my head with some sharp object. — Rohit Saini, JE,Panchkula MC

The counter-charge

We asked the JE about his non-cooperation in works in our wards. We asked him why he was taking salary if he did not want to work. He retorted ‘who are you’. He grabbed me by the neck. He then went to the Commissioner's office. Our party leaders reached the spot. We asked him to come outside and apologise. As we went inside, he threw a landline phone set at me. — Pankaj Valmiki, councillor

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