NEW DELHI: In a shocking incident that has sparked widespread condemnation, a serving Indian Army Colonel and his son were allegedly assaulted by Punjab Police personnel in Patiala over a seemingly trivial parking dispute. The brutal attack, captured on CCTV, has led to the suspension of 12 police officers, including three inspectors, as authorities scramble to address the fallout from an event that has ignited fury among the public and the military community alike.
Shocking: Family alleges that serving Indian Army Colonel Pushpinder Batth, who is currently posted at the Army headquarters in New Delhi, and his son Angad were brutally assaulted and beaten by three Punjab Police SHOs over a parking dispute near Rajindra Hospital Dhaba on theโฆ pic.twitter.com/DMRG32JVuD
โ Gagandeep Singh (@Gagan4344) March 17, 2025
The incident occurred on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, outside a roadside dhaba near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, currently posted at the Army Headquarters in New Delhi, and his son, Angad Singh, had stopped for a meal when the altercation unfolded.
According to Jaswinder Bath, the Colonelโs wife, the trouble began when three police officers in civilian clothesโlater identified as Inspectors Harjinder Dhillon, Harry Boparai, and Ronnie Singhโapproached the duo and demanded they move their parked car to accommodate the officersโ vehicle.
โWhen my husband objected to their rude tone, one of them punched him,โ Jaswinder Bath recounted during a press conference in Patiala on March 15. โMy son tried to intervene, but they turned on him too. They beat them with baseball bats and sharp-edged weapons for nearly 45 minutes.โ The assault left Colonel Bath with a fractured arm and Angad with a severe head injury, both requiring immediate hospitalization at Rajindra Hospital.
CCTV footage from the scene, which has since gone viral on social media, corroborates the familyโs account, showing a group of men attacking the father and son relentlessly. In one harrowing segment, the Colonel is seen collapsing after a blow, only to be kicked repeatedly while unconscious. The family alleges that despite identifying himself as an Army officer, the assailantsโlater confirmed to be police personnelโcontinued their assault undeterred.
The aftermath of the attack has been marked by a sluggish initial response from the Patiala Police, further fueling outrage. An FIR was registered on March 15 against โunidentified persons,โ despite the family naming the involved officers.
Sources suggest that senior Army officials had to intervene to pressure local authorities into taking action. โThe police were playing a partisan role despite clear evidence,โ Jaswinder Bath claimed, adding that the family faced intimidation to drop the case, including late-night detainment of her at the police station.
Public and military backlash reached a crescendo by March 17, prompting swift action from Patialaโs Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dr. Nanak Singh. Addressing the media on Monday, SSP Singh announced the suspension of 12 police personnel involved in the incident, including the three named inspectors and nine others ranging from constables to sub-inspectors confirming that a departmental inquiry has been ordered, with a 45-day deadline for completion.
This claim has been met with skepticism, given the CCTV evidence and the familyโs insistence that the police were the aggressors. The FIR, based initially on the statement of the dhaba owner, is now under review to include the named officers as accused, following pressure from both military and civilian circles.
The officer has been shifted to a Military Hospital, and all possible help is being extended. Senior Army officials have visited the hospitalized duo, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the militaryโs demand for accountability.
As Colonel Bath and his son recover, the focus now shifts to the departmental inquiry and potential criminal charges against the suspended officers. The Patiala Police have appealed for calm, promising transparency, but for many, the incident has left an indelible mark on the cityโs reputation.
For now, the suspended officers await their fate, the CCTV footage stands as damning evidence, and a shaken community watches closely as justice hangs in the balance.
