Liquor Mafia Thugs Tried To Intimidate Hare But They Didn’t Know Who They Were Dealing With!
SURREY – In February, The LINK covered the amazing story of Pinder Singh Hare, a former top wrestler who slipped into addiction and then miraculously through his Sikh faith bounced back up and has been on a mission to eradicate alcohol addiction in Punjab.
Hare, a former Canadian national wrestler and World Kabaddi Cup player, is now more commonly known in India as “Khalsa” or “Baba”.
Since that time, Hare’s anti-alcohol-drug movement has spread to neighboring villages of Dhirpur in District Jalandhar. Many alcohol distribution stores have been closed. In some cases this fight has been led by women as was the case in the village of Pathra. Women alone closed the center. They are fed up with the abuse and break up of families caused by this plague. They are no longer sitting idle and are taking matters into their own hands.
However, nothing is achieved easily and the alcohol distributors, with much at stake, are fighting back. They took their fight back to the core “the epicenter” of the anti alcohol movement. The distributors had agreed in December to stop operating their outlet in Hare’s village of Dhirpur, Jalandhar by March 31. This was after several deaths which were caused by alcohol or rather chemically enriched alcohol.
All new agreements for alcohol distribution are bid on and take effect every year on April 1st. The center in this village was not to be re-opened. The distributor attempted to by-pass the legal process and break the previous agreement. They tried to rent a different location but no one in the village cooperated. Then they discretely purchased a parcel of land and were in the process of setting up a new shop. This was against the wishes of the village counsel who had informed the government authorities (DC Commission) in writing that they would not allow any alcohol distribution to operate in their village.
The distributor continued to sell alcohol from the temporary kiosk site outside the village and did not stop by the deadline. Estimated daily liquor sale was 14,000 rupees. Complaints were lodged again with the commission and Police. The villagers were told by the Police that they were in their legal rights to have the shop removed. Thus, the distributor was forced to pack the supplies and leave. Afterwards, Hare and the villagers loaded the empty kiosk onto a wagon and left it at the Gurdwara and the center was shut down for good.
The distributors have a powerful lobby. They returned with the Police and the authorities to show force. They came to meet Hare and then went to the new location under construction. The villagers gathered and displayed their opposition. The distributor wanted the kiosk back and Hare told them to pay the money owed to the village and then they could have it but they could not open up the site in the village or the surrounding area.
However, a few days later two men came to visit Hare. They inquired about his horses. Not knowing who they were he treated them with respect. Soon, they started inquiring about his opposition to the alcohol distribution. Their motive for the visit was revealed and it became clear who they were.
At first they tried to convince Hare to let them operate their distribution center. Seeing this approach failing they quickly resorted to bribery. At that point they seem to hit a nerve. Hare told them to leave and get off his property. Their refusal resulted in a confrontation. It is alleged that Hare picked up a spear which was enough to force one of the culprits to run. The other made a challenge and grabbed onto the spear. Hare started to pull to take control. In this tug of war Hare released and the spear stabbed the intruder in the thigh.
Upon hearing the commotion the villagers gathered. Both individual were caught but another group of four that were doing circles around the block, fearing for their safety, quickly drove away. The two caught intruders were given a very warm welcoming by the villagers.
The Police were called. The intruders were made to sign a paper that they would not return and the Police signed a confirmation that they were taking the two culprits away. The Police wanted to take the spear as evidence but this request was denied by the villagers. These demands were only met by the Police after their vehicle and the intruders were physically blocked by the villagers along with bricks and rocks.
It was revealed later that the Police had taken the two to hospital and there were eighteen injuries to one intruder and that charges against Hare were pending. (Indian Penal Code #23 and #24). The villagers would not have any of this. They met with the DC Commission, the area DSP (Dist. Superintendent of Police), MLA Sarvan S. Phillaur (SAD) and SGPC area president Ajit S. Kahlon. They were assured of a full Police inquiry which was done this past week.
MLA Sarban Singh and Ajit S. Kahlon (SGPC) assured that the liquor outlet will not open in the village. Under the law it cannot open. Everyone needs to know their rights and act upon them. In the meantime, Hare is busy working on a second project that is in the making. A museum similar to the one in Anandpur Sahib (350 crore) is to be opened in Kartarpur with a budget of 500 crore rupees.
He is fundraising with local groups and they are set to meet Deputy C.M. Sukhbir S. Badal. This project and alcoholism will highlight their meeting. In addition, Hare is hoping to bring the drawings for the museum and pertaining information to Canada for the local community by the summer.
