Nabha: Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mandeep Kaur has broken her silence over the confrontation between the police and protesting farmers outside her office on September 22. In a statement issued on Tuesday, she asserted that the situation escalated not due to the protestors, but because of disruptive elements who infiltrated the gathering under the pretense of being farmers.
The protest, originally organized in connection with complaints about missing trolleys during the recent Shambhu march, took a violent turn outside the DSP’s office. Both sides have since traded accusations over the events that followed.
“They Touched Me Inappropriately,” Says DSP
DSP Mandeep Kaur claimed that while she was performing her duty, she was physically harassed by some individuals during the scuffle. “There were people pretending to be farmers, but they were not genuine protestors. Some of them touched me inappropriately from behind. These were not peaceful demonstrators but goons in disguise,” she stated.
Refuting allegations that the police mishandled the protestors’ religious sentiments, she added, “No turban was removed by the police, as claimed in certain viral video clips. Those visuals have been selectively edited and misrepresented to create a false narrative.”
Farmers’ Counterclaims
However, farmer leaders have contested the police’s version of events. Gamdur Singh, a representative from the protesting group, accused the DSP of using force and attempting to drive a vehicle through the protest. “She tried to run us over with her official vehicle. Our clothes were torn, and we were manhandled. Her behavior was uncalled for,” Singh said.
The standoff between both sides was reportedly sparked by long-standing grievances about the missing trolleys, which farmers say were taken by authorities during the Shambhu protest in support of their demands.
