Sangrur, April 27 -- A day after a protest over the "undemocratic" appointment of a truck union president turned violent, when protesters clashed with police, hurling stones and damaging several official vehicles during a highway blockade in Bhawanigarh, Sangrur police arrested at least 25 people on Sunday. While Bhawanigarh deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Rahul Kaushal confirmed the arrests, Sangrur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sartaj Singh Chahal said raids were being conducted to arrest the others involved. Citing the situation that turned violent, SSP Chahal said, "Those who hurled stones and took the law into their hands will not be spared at any cost. Strict action will be taken and teams have been formed to arrest all those involved," he added. Lodging an FIR on Sunday, police invoked a string of serious charges against 30 people by name and 150 unidentified accused. These include Sections 109 (attempt to murder), 61 (2) (criminal conspiracy), 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (2)(wrongful restraint), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant), 221 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant from performing their official duties), 285 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 304 (snatching), 324 (5) (mischief causing loss or damage), 191 (3) (rioting) and 190 (unlawful assembly) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita; Section 8-B of the National Highways Act; and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The tension stemmed from a localised rift within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after Malwinder Singh Mala was elected as the president of the Bhawanigarh truck union, allegedly by party leader Gurmel Singh Gharachon at the behest of OSD Rajvir Singh on Saturday. The move was allegedly made without consulting Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj. Lovely Kakra, the president candidate from Kaur's camp, alleged that they were lured to the DSP's office for a truck union election meeting, only to be locked inside and detained so that Malwinder could easily be appointed as the union president. Malwinder, on the other hand, dismissed the claims. Subsequently, supporters of Kakra, a long-time AAP worker and a candidate for the president's post, gathered at the Bhawanigarh bus stand on the Bathinda-Chandigarh national highway to oppose the election of his rival Malwinder. Complainant ASI Jasveer Singh, who was present at the spot, alleged in the FIR that as police reached the scene to maintain peace, they found Lovely Kakra inciting truck operators and drivers. The ASI alleged that he was delivering inflammatory speeches against Malwinder Singh, threatening to physically assault him to forcibly seize the leadership position. Shortly after, Kakra and his associates unilaterally declared him the union president. Police took him into custody to prevent an escalation of violence. According to the FIR, Kakra himself and 29 individuals named in the FIR, along with a mob of 100 to 150 unidentified persons, created violence and obstructed police in their duties. The protesters used their own trucks and approximately 50 others to block the national highway. When police personnel attempted to persuade the crowd to clear the road, they began manhandling the officers and resorted to heavy stone-pelting causing injuries to cops. "The mob also vandalised several official vehicles, including a police vehicle from Sunam city, an anti-riot police team bus, and various other government and private vehicles," the FIR explains. DSP Kaushal on Saturday said three cops were hurt in the clash, suffering injuries to the head, arms and legs. Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj met Lovely Kakra's family on Sunday and condemned the police's behaviour as oppressive. "The SSP and DSP ranked officials opted not to negotiate with the protesters, instead, they gathered additional forces from neighbouring districts and initiated a third lathi charge, which provoked stone-pelting from the crowd," the MLA said. "The charges levelled against those arrested are severe, including attempted murder, even though nothing of that sort happened and no one acted with the intent to kill," she added. Speaking on the contrary, cabinet minister Aman Arora said the incident in Bhawanigarh was unfortunate and action will be taken against anyone who took the law into their hands....