Ahlawat Khap Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to Haryana Govt Over Arrest of Youths in Encounter Case

A panchayat of the Ahlawat khap held at Dighal village in Jhajjar has demanded the immediate release of three youths arrested after two alleged police encounters, issuing a seven-day ultimatum to the Haryana government to ensure what it called “justice and transparency”.

The panchayat, attended by representatives from 27 villages and leaders of several other khaps, accused the police of staging “fake encounters” and questioned the circumstances under which the arrests were made. A committee of khap leaders was constituted to pursue the matter and decide the next course of action if their demands are not met.

Jai Singh, president of the Ahlawat khap, said the community was seeking fairness, not confrontation. “We will thank Nayab Singh Saini if justice is ensured. Otherwise, we will reconvene after one week and decide our next steps. We demand the immediate release of Pankaj Ahlawat and the two others. We are ready to produce them before the police whenever required for investigation,” he said.

The Jhajjar police have arrested Pankaj Ahlawat—brother of BJP state spokesperson Pradeep Ahlawat and son of former cooperative bank chairman and khap leader Anand Singh—along with two others. Police claim the arrests followed two separate encounters on Thursday night, during which Pankaj and ASI Parveen Kumar sustained bullet injuries.

Pankaj is currently undergoing treatment at PGIMS Rohtak, while ASI Parveen Kumar is admitted to a private hospital in Jhajjar city. Addressing the panchayat, Anand Singh termed the encounters “fake”, alleging that his son was taken to nearby fields where police fired at his leg.

According to Anand Singh, the incident began with a verbal altercation at a hotel, after which unknown persons chased Pankaj’s car. “They were neither in uniform nor in a police vehicle. Believing he was under threat, Pankaj fired a shot from his licensed revolver in self-defence,” he claimed, adding that his son later cooperated with police but was allegedly shot in custody.

Pradeep Ahlawat told the gathering that he had met the Chief Minister, who assured him of an impartial investigation. Meanwhile, police officials maintain that ASI Parveen Kumar was injured in the first encounter when fired upon, and Pankaj was hurt in the second encounter when police retaliated. With tensions simmering, the coming week is expected to be crucial as the state weighs its response to the khap’s ultimatum.