High drama in Dhuri as ex-OSD to CM detained during elections

Sangrur: Political tensions flared in Dhuri in Sangrur district on Tuesday during the municipal council elections after Sangrur police detained Onkar Singh, a former officer on special duty to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, prompting a day-long standoff with senior BJP functionaries, including Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Singh Bittu.Police detained Onkar Singh early Tuesday morning. Senior police officials said the action was preventive and he was found actively campaigning for the saffron party during the mandatory election "silent period".The administration cited directives issued by the Sangrur deputy commissioner that prohibited "outsiders" who were not registered as voters in the specific polling constituency from remaining in the area on voting day.The detention triggered protests from the BJP, and Bittu reached the spot and held multiple heated exchanges with police personnel, demanding Singh's release. Bittu accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party govt of using state machinery to intimidate opposition candidates and alleged high-handedness and harassment of BJP workers contesting the civic polls.The confrontation escalated later in the evening when Bittu attempted to re-enter Dhuri and his convoy was intercepted by a heavy police deployment near Benra village, leading to further verbal altercations. BIttu sought Onkar's release citing that polling hours were over and there was absolutely no legal basis to hold him further.After the standoff and political pressure, police released him on bail under Section 7/51 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Referring to Dhuri as the chief minister's assembly constituency, Bittu said, "Resort to as much high-handedness as you want right now, but you will not get away with it in the 2027 Assembly elections,"The ruling party defended the action. Senior AAP leader and Sunam MLA Aman Arora rejected allegations of political vendetta and said the administration acted by the book to maintain law and order during the silent period. He said the party maintained from day one that elections should be entirely fair, and added that it was confident of public trust and ready to face voters honestly ahead of the assembly elections.Deputy commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur confirmed Onkar Singh was detained to maintain law and order and released later. She said voting remained peaceful in the district. After Singh's release and the end of polling, Bittu left the region by train later in the evening.