White Ravana effigy sparks clash between Cong, SAD; 35 injured

At least 35 workers of Akali Dal and Congress were injured when they clashed over a white coloured effigy of Ravana here, police said on Tuesday.

The controversy over burning of a Ravana effigy donning white colour turned ugly last night when the supporters of both Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress clashed at a ground near Vardhman Chowk on Chandigarh road. Congress had reportedly prepared white effigies as protest against sale of heroin in Punjab and had planned to burn them on Dusshera along with photos of CM Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal.

Traditionally, Ravana effigies are covered with black glaze paper. Deputy Leader of the Opposition Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who represents Ludhiana West Assembly constituency, said that as many as 12 Congress men were injured in the clash. District Congress Committee President Gurpreet Goggi and Ravinder Gill were seriously injured in the clash and rushed to a nearby hospital, according to Ashu. 

According to police, the SAD workers damaged the white Ravana. The workers also allegedly damaged the vehicle of Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu. A clash broke out between the two sides following which the Congress worker overpowered Youth Akali Dal LEADER Tersem Singh Bhinder and took him to the residence of the Commissioner of Police Jatinder Singh Aulakh, according to Congress MLA Ashu.