High drama unfolded outside the residence of Punjab Education and Local Bodies Minister Harjot Singh Bains in Nangal on Friday when local diver Kamalpreet Saini arrived on a tractor and returned a boat that had been gifted to him by the minister about three years ago. Saini left the boat outside the minister’s residence and later posted a video on social media claiming that he had been targeted after raising his voice against alleged illegal mining in the area.
Diver’s Allegations of Harassment
In the video, Saini alleged that after speaking out on the issue of illegal mining, some supporters of the minister took him to the local police station, where he was allegedly manhandled and abused. As a mark of protest, he said, he had decided to return the boat that had been provided to him with the minister’s assistance and left it outside the minister’s house. Saini is known for helping recover the bodies of drowning victims from the Sutlej River and BBMB canals.
Minister’s Denial and Counter-Claims
Responding to the allegations, Minister Harjot Singh Bains categorically denied Saini’s claims and rejected the accusation that he or his supporters had acted against the diver. The minister said Saini had been detained by the police following a complaint lodged by members of a local panchayat and not at his instance. Bains claimed that after learning about the matter, he himself directed the police to release Saini.
The minister further alleged that Saini had attempted to throw a stone at his official vehicle during the incident. “Despite that, I instructed the police not to take any action against him,” Bains said, maintaining that the allegations levelled against him were baseless.
Social Media and Public Reaction
The incident drew considerable attention in Nangal, with videos of the protest circulating widely on social media. No official police statement on the incident was available till the filing of this report.
