LUDHIANA: Accusing cops of not taking action against drug peddlers, residents of Haibowal’s Ajit Nagar staged a protest outside the area police station on Sunday night.
The residents reached the police station after one of them tried to nab a suspected drug peddler and a clash ensued.
The residents said earlier, too, they had complained against drug peddlers in their locality, but the police took no action.
Rohit Sikka, husband of councillor Annie Sikka, said, “Residents suspect some people of peddling drugs in the locality.
Earlier, several complaints were given to Haibowal police, but to no avail.
On Sunday evening, area resident Kulwinder Singh nabbed a man who he suspected to be a drug peddler.
However, the man thrashed him and escaped.
Thereafter, the residents gathered at the spot and reached Haibowal police station.” “We had called the police to the spot, but they did not reach there in time.
Therefore, we decided to stage a protest.
We want the Haibowal police to establish a permanent checkpost in the locality to keep a check on peddlers,” added Sikka.
Haibowal police station SHO sub-inspector Neeraj Chaudhary said, “There are about 15 families that relocated to Ajit Nagar from Gurdaspur a few years ago.
These 15 houses are on one side and the rest of the locality is on the other.
The two groups don’t get along.
A man from one group had stopped another and tried to frisk him, suspecting him to be a drug peddler.
After nothing was found on him, the two thrashed each other.
However, none of them lodged a complaint of fighting against each other.” On Sunday evening, the police received information that some residents were fighting.
“The residents claimed that a drug racket was being run from a house in their locality.
The house was searched and nothing was found.
PCR surveillance has been increased in the locality,” the SHO added.