An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor has accused a local BJP leader, his brother and several supporters of assaulting and threatening him during an altercation near Dholewal bridge on Thursday (June 18).The AAP councillor alleged that the accused threatened him with dire consequences before fleeing the spot. (HT File)Police have registered an FIR against seven persons, including three identified accused.The Division Number 2 police booked BJP leader Vicky Sahota, his brother Rakesh, alias Tidda, aide Yash Sahota and four unidentified persons under Sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).The case was registered on the complaint of Nikku Bharti, councillor of Ward Number 30 and a resident of Indira Colony, who alleged that the argument started after he reached the site upon receiving information about a disturbance allegedly being created by the accused near Dholewal bridge.According to the complaint, Bharti received a phone call from a local resident, Sonu, alias Lalli, informing him that Vicky Sahota, Rakesh, Yash and several others were allegedly creating a ruckus at the spot. The complainant further alleged that the accused had been intimidating local residents and shopkeepers and collecting money from them.Bharti claimed that when he arrived at the location, a cleanliness drive, organised by the civic body was underway, and preparations were being made to install a water cooler for public use.Bharti alleged that when he confronted the accused for extorting money from local people, they started abusing him and the argument soon escalated into a heated exchange, following which the accused allegedly began abusing him.According to the complaint, when Bharti tried to leave the spot to avoid further confrontation, the accused allegedly surrounded him, restrained him and assaulted him.Bharti told police that the group threatened him with dire consequences before fleeing the spot. He also alleged that Sapna, wife of Vicky Sahota, reached the spot during the altercation and verbally abused him. He claimed that a local resident, Bhupinder, who intervened to rescue him, was also assaulted by the accused.Investigating officer head constable Harpreet Singh said, “An FIR has been registered and a probe is on. Raids are being conducted to apprehend the accused.”AAP workers stage stir over smear campaign against Mann Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers on Saturday staged a protest at Bhai Wala Chowk accusing opposition parties of attempting to tarnish the image of chief minister Bhagwant Mann using a fake video as part of a political vendetta.Addressing the gathering, party leaders alleged that opposition parties were trying to defame the chief minister and mislead the public through false propaganda and fabricated content for political gains. They claimed that certain political outfits, unsettled by Mann’s growing popularity, had resorted to misinformation campaigns to undermine his public image.The leaders also asserted that the people of Punjab would not be swayed by such tactics and would reject attempts to spread falsehoods for electoral advantage.Among those present at the protest were MLAs Madan Lal Bagga, Ashok Prashar (Pappi), Kulwant Singh Sidhu, Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina and Sarabjit Kaur Manuke, besides KNS Kang, district president Jatinder Singh Khangura, rural district president Tejpal Singh Gill, mayor Inderjit Kaur and deputy mayor Rakesh Prashar.