Ruling AAP Woman MLA from Sangrur Expresses Anger at SSP, Police; Terms Lathi-Charge on Truckers ‘Provocative’
Sangrur: Violent clash over Bhawanigarh Truck Union leadership; MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj targets Punjab Police
Babushahi Network
Sangrur, April 26, 2026:
In a significant development, ruling AAP MLA from Sangrur, Narinder Kaur Bharaj, has criticized the police action carried out on the orders of SSP and other officers of Sangur. She condemned the use of force and lathi-charge on protesting truckers, alleging that the police resorted to provocative measures, which led to the escalation into a violent clash.
Internal factionalism within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to the fore on Saturday in Sangrur, the native district of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Two rival groups clashed violently over the presidency of the Bhawanigarh Truck Union. The situation escalated into a major crisis involving highway blockades, stone-pelting, and violence. In a surprising turn of events, Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj took a tough stand against the police force of her own government.
Direct Confrontation Between Two Factions
Chaos reigned throughout the day as both factions of the AAP remained adamant about appointing their respective candidates as president:
First Faction: This group, considered close to AAP leader Gurmail Singh Ghrachon, declared Malwinder Singh Mala as the president.
Second Faction: Supporters of MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj alleged that they were detained at the police station by the police during the election process.
According to sources, immediately after being released from police custody, Bharaj's supporters reached the Truck Union office and announced Lovely Singh as their president within minutes, setting the stage for a direct confrontation between the two sides.
Highway Blockade and Stone-Pelting
The atmosphere turned volatile when the police detained Lovedeep Sharma Kakkra while he was being garlanded and honored. Angered by this action, his supporters blocked the Sangrur–Chandigarh highway, causing significant hardship to the general public.
In the evening, when the police attempted to clear the blockade, protesters reportedly began stone-pelting. Rahul Kaushal, DSP Bhawanigarh, stated, "Two police vehicles were damaged and two of our employees were injured in this stone-pelting. Some private vehicles were also damaged."
MLA Bharaj Slams Her Own Police
During the entire episode, MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj questioned the functioning of the police and rebuked them severely. She alleged that the police were taking one-sided action. On the other hand, police officials maintained that they initially appealed for a peaceful end to the protest as commuters were being harassed, but the situation eventually turned violent.