Five arrested in Parwanoo assault case after viral video; long-standing taxi operators' rivalry behind attack: Solan SP

Solan (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 10 (ANI): The Solan district police have arrested five persons in connection with a brutal assault incident in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, on Saturday, after a video of the attack went viral on social media. The incident is linked to a long-standing rivalry between two groups of bus and taxi operators in Kalka over passenger pickups.
According to Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh, on Wednesday, the Parwanoo Police Station received information from the ESI Hospital Parwanoo that an injured person involved in a fight had been brought for treatment. Acting on the information, a police team immediately reached the hospital, where one person was found admitted in an injured condition.
"On verification, the injured was identified as Eeshan, son of Vijay Kumar, a resident of Tehsil Kalka in Panchkula district of Haryana, aged 27 years," SP Gaurav Singh said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that on January 7, Eeshan arrived in Parwanoo from Kalka by taxi with one of his associates. After dropping passengers, while they were returning towards Kalka from Kasauli Chowk, around six to seven youths suddenly attacked Eeshan with iron rods and assaulted him, causing serious injuries.
"In this connection, a case was registered at Police Station Parwanoo," the SP said.
On January 8, a video related to the incident went viral on social media, clearly showing some youths mercilessly beating a person with sticks and rods.
"The police took serious cognisance of the viral video and made it part of the investigation," SP Gaurav Singh added.
Given the gravity of the case, the Parwanoo police team immediately conducted a detailed, scientific investigation, analysing CCTV footage from the area, the viral video, technical evidence, and other physical evidence.
"Based on this analysis, the accused involved in the case were identified. All of them were found to be residents of the Kalka area in Haryana," the SP said.
The police have arrested five accused under charges including attempt to murder and other relevant sections - 109, 126(2), 115(2), 191(2), 191(3) and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The arrested accused has been identified as 23-year-old Harshdeep Singh, resident of Kalka in Panchkula district, Haryana, Aman, 22 years from Kalka in Haryana, 31-year-old Nikhil Chaurasiya from Paniwala Padao, Aod Kalka, Bharat Bhushan, Tehsil Kalka, Panchkula district, Haryana, aged 25 years, and Yograj alias Pinki Gujjar, resident of village Majra Mehtab, Tehsil Kalka, district Panchkula, Haryana, who is nearly 35 years old.
SP Gaurav Singh said the investigation revealed that the incident stemmed from an ongoing dispute between two rival groups of bus and taxi operators in Kalka over passenger pickups.
"Cases are already registered against both groups at the Kalka police station. When one group came to know that the victim Eeshan, who belonged to the rival group, was alone in Parwanoo, they attacked him," he said.
"The Solan police are taking strict legal action against the accused in the matter," the Superintendent of Police added.
"The main mastermind of this incident is the accused Yograj alias Pinki Gujjar, who carried out the act in a pre-planned manner to settle a personal rivalry. This accused played the biggest role in providing shelter to the other accused, he said further. (ANI)