Villagers seize police jeep carrying weapons, lathi-charged

Suspecting that cops on patrol duty were helping gangs to loot at night, villagers seized a police van loaded with weapons here today.
Police swung batons and fired tear gas shells to get their vehicle released in Bal Khurd village, officials said.
The villagers alleged police were helping looters and sometimes drop them in the village during night to carry out their operations.
The residents of the village demanded registration of cases against the concerned policemen.
When villagers refused to set free the vehicle loaded with sharp-edged weapons, police resorted to cane-charge and burst tear gas shells.
The villagers retaliated hurling stones at police, the officials said.

Some, including policemen, received minor bruises but no was critically injured, they said.
SSP Manmohan Singh said the villagers were wrong in assuming that the police jeep was carrying weapons to help the looters.
In fact, the sharp-edged weapons were seized during night patrolling, he said.