Former Chinar Corps Commander Raises Concerns Over Robbery of Army Colonel’s ID and Mobile in Patiala Assault:

Former Chinar Corps Commander Lieutenant General (retd) KJS Dhillon raised significant concerns on Thursday regarding the robbery of an Army Colonel's mobile phone and identity card during a violent altercation with 12 Punjab Police officers in Patiala. Dhillon questioned the unusual nature of the robbery, emphasizing that the theft targeted specific items that could have serious security implications.

Dhillon posted on X, highlighting that while the police did not rob the Colonel's vehicle or money, they took his identity card and mobile phone. He raised the possibility that an enemy agency might have been involved due to the nature of the theft. "I-Card can get access anywhere. Can enemy agency’s hand be ruled out? Why such specific robbery?" he wrote, urging the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate further. The post also tagged the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Additional Directorate General of Public Information.

This incident has caused public outrage. The altercation, which took place on March 13 outside a roadside eatery in Patiala, involved three Punjab Police inspectors and nine other personnel. The confrontation began over a parking dispute when Colonel Pushpinder Bath, currently posted at the Army Headquarters in Delhi, was asked by police personnel in civilian clothes to move his vehicle. The situation escalated when Colonel Bath objected to the police officers’ tone. According to reports, the police then proceeded to kick and punch the Colonel.

In response to the attack, the Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) took swift action by suspending 12 police officers, ranging from inspectors to constables, for their role in the assault. However, the affected family has been battling for justice, including pushing to have the accused officers named in the FIR and publicly identified.

The issue has sparked further controversy, as the victim’s family, led by Colonel Bath’s wife, Jaswinder Kaur Bath, and her brother-in-law, BJP leader Gurtej Singh Dhillon, is planning an indefinite protest starting on March 22 in front of the District Commissioner’s office in Patiala. The protest is backed by an ex-servicemen union .