03-07-2025
Suspended sarpanch's self-immolation bid foiled in Ambala, detained
Ambala police on Wednesday detained a suspended sarpanch trying to immolate herself in Shahzadpur. The deputy commissioner said in his suspension order that he thoroughly inspected the affidavit given by the sarpanch and the report by duty magistrate and also heard it personally. (File)
She was later released, police said.
Officials said that on Tuesday, Ambala deputy commissioner Ajay Singh Tomar suspended her from the post of sarpanch, days after Shahzadpur block development and panchayat officer informed the DC about an affidavit submitted by the Sarpanch before him that if two encroachments are not removed by the administration before July 2, then she will commit self-immolation at Triveni Chowk Shahzadpur on Wednesday at 11 am.
Earlier, on June 24, Naraingarh SDM had ordered removal of the encroachment in respective village and on behalf of the block office as duty magistrate, two officers were present at the spot to remove the encroachment. However, the duty magistrate informed the SDM that the sarpanch did not show the marked place from where the encroachment was to be removed, nor did she provide any list of the owners.
'Apart from this, she did not submit the documents to show whether any notice was given to the encroachers or not. In the absence of which, the action of removing the encroachment could not be carried out,' officials said.
In a statement, DC said that under Section 18 of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, the sarpanch is the custodian of the movable and immovable property of the gram panchayat and under Section 24(1) of the same Act, the gram panchayat is responsible for removing encroachment from any road etc.
'Again, the sarpanch neither sought police assistance/duty magistrate through a resolution to remove illegal encroachments nor fixed a date for removing the encroachments. Whereas it was the duty of the sarpanch to take action as per the rules instead of giving such threats,' he said.
The deputy commissioner said in his suspension order that he thoroughly inspected the affidavit given by the sarpanch and the report by duty magistrate and also heard it personally.
'It is against the rules for the sarpanch to threaten by giving such an affidavit, while being on a constitutional post that expresses a serious misconduct and by not resolving the matter from the administrative point of view, she tried to put unnecessary pressure on the administration and made herself liable for disciplinary action. Accordingly, she was suspended from the post of sarpanch with immediate effect under Section 51(1)(b) of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and has also been barred from participating in any proceedings/meeting of the gram panchayat under Section 51(2) of the Act,' the statement read.
SP Ajit Singh Shekhawat said that she was detained and presented before the SDM, where she was released after formalities and an assurance that she won't get indulged in such an act again.
