Sarpanch who slapped woman arrested, released

Punjab Police arrested the ruling Shiromani Akal Dal leader and sarpanch who slapped a woman teacher at Gidderbaha in Muktsar district on Sunday. However, the sarpanch Balwinder Singh was freed on bail within hours of his arrest as the offences under Indian Penal Code for which he was booked by police were bailable.

Muktsar SSP Inder Mohan Singh told the PTI over phone that Mr. Balwinder Singh was arrested under the provisions of section 323 (slapping) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the IPC.

Mr. Balwinder Singh had repeatedly slapped the lady teacher Varinder Kaur on Sunday, who was demanding a permanent job, sparking an outrage after which the State government registered a FIR against him late on Monday night. Ms. Varinder Kaur was part of a delegation of teachers who wanted to meet Bhatinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the wife of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, with their demand at the function in Gidderbaha on Sunday.

A scuffle had broken out between the teachers’ delegation which wanted to submit a memorandum to Harsimrat Kaur demanding regularisation of their job, and Akali Dal workers who wanted the delegation to leave the place. Mr. Balwinder Singh, Akali Dal sarpanch of Daula village, caught hold of Ms. Varinder Kaur and slapped her many times. Meanwhile, police have received a complaint from a panchayat member charging Ms. Varinder Kaur of using casteist remarks against him.

The panchayat demanded the woman be arrested under the provisons of SC and ST Act for allegedly passing the casteist remarks during the scuffle. However, the Muktsar SSP said police are verifying the complaint and action would be taken as per law.