In yet another case of high handedness, the Patiala district police arrested a son of the local leader of the ruling Akali Dal on charges of attempt to murder, after he used his father's licensed weapon to shoot at another youth Harphool Pathak in Bhadson town on Tuesday. The injured was rushed to Rajendera Hospital for treatment and is stated to be out of danger.
The SSP of Patiala, Gurpreet Singh Gill has confirmed the incident as well as the arrest of Hardeep Singh, who is the son of Jarnail Singh Matroda, Publicity Secretary of the Akali Dal's district unit.
Reports said that Hardeep and Harphool had entered into an altercation after the former took offense that the latter never "saluted" him whenever they met. The locals intervened that separated the youths, who engaged in fisticuffs. After this Hardeep Singh left the scene.
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Harphool Pathak told reporters at the Rajendera hospital in Patiala that after an hour, Hardeep returned armed with a gun at the former's house and began using abusive language. Apparently, Hardeep fired three shots, two of which hit Harphool on the left arm and shoulder. The third shot could find the target as people close-by raised Hardeep's hand into the air.
Meanwhile, Mr Matroda denied his affiliation with the ruling party. However, he could not provide satisfactory answers when local journalists pointed out that his name figured as "Publicity Secretary" in the directory issued by rural unit of the Akali Dal in November this year. He also could not reply to questions about his son's access to the weapon.