Punjab Newsline | Kullu
Tension gripped Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district after a group of tourists from Punjab allegedly brandished swords and attacked local residents in the Sainj area. Two locals were injured in the incident, including one man who suffered severe injuries to his hand while another sustained a deep cut on his cheek. A video of the clash has also surfaced online.
Following the incident, angry residents gathered in the area and lodged a complaint with the police. Acting on the complaint, police detained four accused tourists. However, the situation turned tense again when locals accused the police of trying to release the accused after allegedly accepting a bribe.
Residents claimed the accused had offered Rs 5 lakh to the police and alleged that the suspects were under the influence of drugs. They also accused the police of not conducting medical examinations of the accused.
Police, however, denied the allegations and said a case had been registered against the four men and their medical examination was conducted. Officials added that the accused were later released on bail bonds as the offences were bailable in nature.
According to police, the accused belong to the Khanna area of Ludhiana district in Punjab. They were identified as Mandeep Singh, Pradeep Singh, Jashanpreet, and Pritpal, who had come to Himachal Pradesh for a vacation.
The clash reportedly began on the evening of May 10 in Banjar after the tourists’ vehicle allegedly hit a local resident. An argument broke out between the tourists and locals, which quickly escalated. Police said two of the tourists allegedly pulled out swords from their vehicle and attacked two local men before police and residents intervened.
