Akalis demand arrest of Congress candidate from Beas

Amritsar, Jan 30 (UNI) The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded immediate arrest of Jasbir Singh Dimpa, Congress candidate from beas and his two brothers and threatened to 'gherao' the Deputy Commissioner's office here if no action was taken against the trio.

Dimpa, his brothers--- Harmanbir Singh, a SP ranking officer in the state police and Rajan Gill, a transporter were booked on murder charges after the death of a SAD worker following a clash between Congress and SAD activists in the Beas constituency yesterday.

Demanding action against Dimpa and his brothers, SAD general secretary and MP Sukhbir Singh Badal said here today that the three were directly involved in the clash.

The Akali leader played a CD before mediapersons showing Rajan firing towards SAD activists from an AK-47 rifle and Harmanbir giving directions to Congress workers who were involved in yesterdays clash. When mediapersons mentioned Harmanbir's claims that he was attending an official meeting at the time of the clash, Mr Badal retorted, ''is not the CD showing the reality''.

Mr Badal who was flanked by Manjinder Singh Kang, SAD candidate from Beas demanded immediate deployment of para military forces in Beas. ''We had long time back intimated to the Election Commission that Beas was a sensitive segment'', he claimed.

While pointing out that the father and a brother of Mr Kang were killed by terrorists during the phase of militantcy in the state, the SAD general secretary demanded Z-category security for his party candidate. ''A plot has been hatched to eleminate Mr Kang, so that election in the Beas constituency is countermanded, as the Congress candidate is certain of his defeat'', he alleged.

Mr Kang on his part stated that he was being made a target as he was a relative of the Badal family. A case of corruption was slapped against him a few years back and now attempts are being made to eleminate him, the SAD candidate claimed.

Meanwhile police officials when contacted claimed that attempts were being made to arrest Dimpa and his two brothers. SAD workers however refuted the police claims, saying that Dimpa and Rajan were canvassing in the Beas constituency.

Tension still prevailed in the constituency as SAD activists alleged that three of their workers were still 'missing' after yesterdays clash. The police has intensified patroling in the Beas segment.

UNI