Bid to create nuisance amid polling, four held: Ludhiana police

Four persons have been arrested for allegedly tampering with a car’s number plate and attempting to create unrest during the panchayat elections, the PAU police said on Wednesday. The arrests were made near the Malakpur village area when police noticed the altered number plate and stopped the vehicle for checking.

The accused have been identified as Havenpreet Singh of Jainpur village, Karanpreet Singh, Sandeep Singh and Manpreet Singh, all residents of Malakpur village. According to the police, the accused had altered the car’s registration number by using black tape. The police believe that the men were roaming around the village intending to cause trouble during the elections.

Sub-inspector Ashwani Kumar, who is investigating the case, said a police team was stationed near the Malakpur flyover on the Jainpur-Hambran road when they observed saw a suspicious car approaching. Upon inspection, it was found that the vehicle’s registration number was tampered with.

The sub-inspector added that the accused had likely planned to disrupt the election process using the forged number plate to conceal their identity. A case has been registered under Section 341(2) (counterfeiting any seal, plate, etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The police are now investigating whether the men have any previous criminal records.