Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Aug 26: The employees of BDO Office Kathua observed a total strike today in protest against thrashing of a Section Officer of the department by a Sarpanch in his office chamber recently and demanded his immediate arrest.
The employees of the other blocks of the district also joined the protest today and demanded protection to them from musclemen and goons enjoying support of some local politicians.
The Village Level Workers Association district vice president, O D Atri and its general secretary, Rajesh Kumar warned that they will continue strike till the Sarpanch is arrested.
The Kathua Police has also registered a case against the Sarpanch under Section 353& 382 for manhandling a Government employee and snatching of official papers. However the Sarpanch has gone under ground and the Kathua police has launched a manhunt to arrest him. It conducted raids at various places but so far eluded success.
SHO, Kathua S D Singh said that police has sent its teams to different areas to arrest the Sarpanch and he will be nabbed within days.
According to reports, Dilip Singh, Sarpanch Chak-e-Desa Singh on last Friday entered the office of Jia Lal Section Officer Planning in BDO’s Office and manhandled him when the BDO was not present in his office chambers. He also lifted some important Government documents and files. Later the staff of the BDO’s Office went to Police Station Kathua to lodge a complaint against him and the Sarpanch misbehaved with them also in Police Station forcing the employees to go on strike.
Meanwhile, the Hiranagar Police on the directives of SSP Kathua Mohan Lal and under the supervision of SDPO Border, M L Kaith today arrested Sarpanch Chilakh in Hiranagar tehsil for manhandling Ashok Kumar a Village Level Worker of Hiranagar on July 17 during a meeting at Pargoli and snatching official records from him. However Sarpanch Katni, in Hirangar tehsil, Yashpaul who too was involved in manhandling of the VLW is still at large.
The VLW after the episode reported the matter to BDO, Hiranagar who filed a case in Police Station Hiranagar. The Police registered an FIR under Section 382/504 & 353 against the duo and launched a manhunt against them.
Today Govind Ram was arrested from Dayala Chak market while the police has continued raids to arrest another Sarpanch.
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