Akali Dal sarpanch who slapped woman held, bailed out

The Punjab police on Tuesday arrested the ruling Shiromani Akal Dal leader and sarpanch who slapped a woman teacher at Gidderbaha in Muktsar district on Sunday. However, Balwinder Singh, the sarpanch, was freed on bail within hours of his arrest as the offences under Indian Penal Code for which he was booked by police were bailable.

Muktsar SSP Inder Mohan Singh told PTI over phone that Balwinder Singh was arrested under the provisions of section 323 (slapping) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the IPC.

Balwinder Singh had repeatedly slapped lady teacher Varinder Kaur, who was demanding a permanent job on Sunday, sparking an outrage after which the state government registered an first information report against him late last night.

Varinder Kaur was part of a delegation of teachers who wanted to meet Bhatinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, the wife of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, with their demand at the function at Gidderbaha on Sunday.

A scuffle had broken out between the teachers' delegation which wanted to submit a memorandum to Harsimrat Kaur demanding regularisation of their job, and Akali Dal workers who wanted the delegation to leave the place.

Balwinder Singh, Akali Dal sarpanch of Daula village, caught hold of Varinder Kaur and slapped her many times. Meanwhile, police have received a complaint from a panchayat member charging Varinder Kaur with using casteist remarks against him.

The panchayat demanded the woman be arrested under the provisions of SC and ST Act for allegedly passing casteist remarks against him during the scuffle. However, the SSP said police are verifying the complaint and action would be taken as per law.