Irate khap members hold magistrate hostage

JIND: Tension prevailed in the town after Kandela khap members reportedly held a city magistrate hostage for more than one hour, who had gone to assure a panchayat of proper action in a case.

It was only after the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police reached the spot and assured the panchayat that he was allowed to go from there.

According to sources, 22-year-old Amit Kumar, son of a businessman, was kidnapped by some unidentified people on October 3 when he was on the way to his coaching centre. Later his family members received a ransom call from an unidentified person who demanded Rs 10 lakh to release him.

On October 5, Amit Kumar's dead body was recovered from a canal and it has been alleged that Jind Sadar police cremated the body without informing family members of the missing person.

The magistrate, Satbir Singh Lohchab, had gone to the village to assure the protesters, but president of Kandela khap, Tekram Kandela, who was leading the protest, declared that he would not be allowed to move from the spot until the SP and DC come there.

SP Balwan Singh Rana and DC Rajivrattan reached the spot and assured proper action to the agitators, who later accepted their request to free the magistrate.