Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has leveled serious allegations that a Sikh youth in Punjab was brutally tortured and humiliated merely for raising his voice against the rampant drug problem in the state. He urged the National Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter immediately. Sharing a post on the social media platform X, the SAD leader stated that the young Punjabi Sikh boy faced this ordeal because he dared to speak the truth about the drug crisis in Punjab. He noted that the victim had earlier staged a protest by climbing onto a rooftop in Shero village of Sunam, which drew local attention.
Allegations of Extreme Brutality and Humiliation
Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the youth was stripped of his clothes, beaten mercilessly, and subjected to electric shocks while his turban and beard were mistreated. He further claimed that the victim's thighs were slashed with blades and salt was rubbed into his open wounds. According to his allegations, the youth was beaten with wet shoes for over an hour and subsequently paraded naked in public. It was also alleged that his mother and sisters were mistreated in front of everyone during the incident, sparking widespread outrage and concern over the rule of law in the region.
Call for National Human Rights Commission Intervention
Calling the alleged incident completely unacceptable, Badal strongly condemned the act and demanded immediate intervention from the National Human Rights Commission. He asserted that Punjab cannot and will not be silenced by such intimidation tactics. Furthermore, he appealed to the national media to highlight the situation as a form of terror allegedly perpetrated by the ruling party, urging nationwide attention to the grievances of the victims and their families in the state.
Political Turmoil and Allegations Against CM Bhagwant Mann
This development unfolds amid massive political turmoil currently gripping Punjab. Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal, have alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, his wife Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, and the AAP leadership are running an extortion syndicate through intermediaries. They claim that bribes amounting to up to five crores rupees were demanded to hush up rape cases. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has sought an inquiry report on these allegations, while the AAP has categorically rejected the claims as baseless and politically motivated.
