Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, a serving officer of the Indian Army, and his son were seriously attacked by 12 Punjab Police personnel late at night on March 13–14 in Patiala. The incident happened because of an argument over parking outside a roadside eatery. Colonel Bath and his son suffered injuries and needed hospital treatment. The Army was told about the attack on March 15, and Colonel Bath was later moved to a military hospital for better care.
Soon after the incident, the Army demanded that the investigation should be quick, fair, and honest, and that the guilty police officers should be punished without delay. The Army wants the truth to come out so that people can trust the system again. Army officials, including Lt Gen Mohit Wadhwa, Chief of Staff at the Army Western Command, spoke strongly about the need for justice. Lt Gen Wadhwa said the Army will not stop until the case is fully resolved and the people responsible are punished. He also said that the Army and Punjab Police have always had a good relationship, and this incident should not harm that.
Colonel Bath and his family do not believe that the Punjab Police can do a fair investigation. They think there might be bias because the accused are police officers themselves. That is why, on Monday, Colonel Bath went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court and asked for the case to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or another independent agency.
The Punjab Police, on their part, have said that they respect the Indian Army and its officers. The Director General of Police (DGP) assured the public that the police are taking the matter very seriously. The police have already suspended all 12 officers involved and started strict departmental action against them. A new FIR was registered at the Civil Lines police station in Patiala on March 22, based on Colonel Bath’s complaint.
To make sure the investigation is fair, the Punjab Police formed a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a senior officer. The SIT is working every day to collect evidence and move the case forward as quickly as possible. The DGP said that the SIT has been told to finish the investigation soon and make sure that the guilty are punished according to the law.
At a joint press conference, both the Army and the Punjab Police spoke to the media. Lt Gen Wadhwa said the Army is fully committed to getting justice for Colonel Bath and his son. He asked everyone to stay calm and not let this incident create problems between the Army and the police. The DGP also said that any police officer found guilty of attacking an Army officer will be dealt with very strictly.
The family of Colonel Bath is not satisfied and wants the CBI to take over the case. They have protested in Patiala, and many ex-servicemen have joined them to show support. Colonel Bath’s wife said that she does not trust the local police and wants a completely independent investigation. She also asked for the local police chief to be transferred.
In summary, the Indian Army is pushing for a quick and honest investigation after one of their officers and his son were attacked by Punjab Police. The police have suspended the accused officers and started an investigation, but the Army and the family want the case to be handled by an independent agency to ensure fairness. Both sides are trying to make sure justice is done and that the long-standing respect between the Army and the police is not damaged by this unfortunate event.