Army Major, soldiers attacked by dhaba workers in Punjab

An Army Major and his team of 16 soldiers were reportedly subjected to a brutal assault by the owner and workers of a dhaba situated on the Manali-Ropar road in Punjab. The incident which occurred on Monday, left the Major and several jawans with severe injuries. The local authorities swiftly intervened filing an FIR at the Kiratpur Sahib police station and apprehending two of the accused.

According to the FIR lodged in the early hours of Tuesday the altercation transpired when Major Sachin Singh Kuntal and his troop from Ladakh Scouts were returning from Palchan near Manali in Himachal Pradesh after emerging victorious in a snow marathon held in Lahaul the previous day.

Stopping for dinner at the Alpine dhaba near Bharatgarh in Ropar district around 9:15 PM the soldiers found themselves embroiled in a dispute with the dhaba owner over the mode of payment. The owner purportedly refused payment through UPI, insisting on cash to evade taxation.

Despite the soldiers' attempts to settle the bill online, the confrontation escalated. Allegedly, the owner, backed by a group of around 30-35 individuals attacked the Major and his team with lathis, sticks, and iron rods, causing grievous injuries. Major Kuntal sustained injuries to his arms and head, rendering him unconscious.

Following the assault, the attackers fled the scene. Promptly the jawans transported the injured Major to Civil Hospital Ropar for medical treatment in a hired tempo traveler.

Speaking on the matter, Ropar SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana disclosed that a case had been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, rioting and unlawful assembly.

The Kiratpur Sahib SHO confirmed the arrest of two accused individuals, identified as Rajneesh alias Himanshu, a resident of Rajpura, Punjab, and Tanay, hailing from Uttar Pradesh. However, the dhaba owner remains at large, along with several others involved in the attack. Law enforcement authorities are actively pursuing leads, including scrutinizing CCTV footage, to apprehend the remaining suspects.