An Indian police officer whose hand was chopped off by extremists at a Covid-19 quarantine checkpoint has recently undergone successful surgery.
According to India Today, an Indian police officer in Punjab state was hospitalized with a severed hand. Specialist doctors spent 7 hours and 30 minutes reattaching the victim’s left hand and the man is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
The clash occurred early on the morning of April 12 at a Covid-19 quarantine checkpoint at the entrance to a vegetable market in the city of Patiala.
Police officer Harjeet Singh, 50, and two colleagues stopped a car carrying a group of men and asked them to show their permits to enter the market.
Amid India’s nationwide lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a cordon was set up around the market, with only those with permits allowed inside.
“The men were travelling in an SUV, they were asked to show their permits but they drove straight into the cordon set up by the police,” said Singh Sidhu, a police officer in the city of Patiala.
The men then got out of the vehicle, drew swords and attacked three policemen, injuring all three and officer Harjeet Singh, whose hand was severed.
A video posted on social media showed officer Harjeet Singh lying on the ground calling for help.
Punjab police immediately mobilized forces to chase the group and successfully intercepted them in the village of Balbera, about 25km from the crime scene.
A total of seven suspects were arrested by police, one of whom suffered gunshot wounds. Punjab police seized three pistols, a petrol bomb, swords and other weapons.
Indian police said they tried to persuade the suspects to surrender but were unsuccessful and were forced to open fire.
Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of Punjab, praised the swift action of the police. He said he had asked the police to “take the toughest possible action” against those who deliberately violated the lockdown.
