Punjab’s Malwa bears the brunt, curfew imposed in 8 districts
CHANDIGARH:The Malwa region of Punjab witnessed a series of violent protests after a Panchkula CBI court held Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh guilty in a rape case. Curfew was imposed in Patiala, Muktsar, Mansa, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Moga and Sangrur district as a precautionary measure.
No loss of the human life was reported , even as dera followers made attempts to damage government and private properties by hurling petrol bombs at filling stations, railway stations, power grids, telephone exchanges and sewa kendras.
The Punjab government called the army to maintain peace in 10 districts of the Malwa region, which is dominated by dera followers, over the next 24 hours.
Army would be deployed in Sangrur, Barnala, Mohali, Bathinda, Mansa, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar and Moga. Punjab has also sought 150 more companies of central forces.
Eleven senior police officers, including ADGP (1), IGP (4), DIG (3) and commandants (3), have been deputed in Malwa, especially during the night. Police have also arrested five dera supporters involved in the attempt to set the Balluana railway station in Bathinda on fire. Two weapons have been recovered from them.
At least 10 vehicles were set ablaze, six petrol pumps were burnt, eight power grids were damaged, 20 sewa kendras were ransacked and six telephone exchanges were set afire by dera followers.
Four railway stations at Malout in Muktsar, Mahalam in Ferozepur, Balluana and Shergarh in Bathinda were set afire. The stations were attacked with petrol bombs, police said. In Moga, dera followers made an attempt to burn Dagru railway station.
“We have imposed curfew in these districts as a precautionary measure. Dera followers tried to go on a rampage in the state, but the police have thwarted their attempt by strongly reacting to the situation,” director general of police Suresh Arora said.
In Mansa, income tax office was attacked by some masked men and two vehicles parked in the office were burnt. Two petrol pumps were ransacked in Musa and Banawali village in the afternoon and sewa kendras were ransacked in Borawal, Hodla Kalan and Chehlanwala village with petrol filled bottles. Two power grids of the PSPCL in Datewas and Matti village were damaged. The car of a junior engineer posted at Matti power grid was also damaged, said the police.
In Bathinda, the protesters damaged a power grid near Balluana, besides sewa kendras at Jivan Singh Wala, Bhai Rupa, Laleana, Mahi Nangal, Bandi, Kotfatta, Kuti Kishanpura and Khyali Chailan villages. The followers hurled a petrol bomb at the BSNL office in Rama Mandi.
In Muktsar, a petrol-vending machine was damaged at Hakuwala village and an attempt was made to set it afire while an unsuccessful attempt was made to torch a BSNL exchange in Tapa Khera. The followers also set ablaze a petrol pump at Burj Sidhwan village near Lambi. A telephone exchange near Tappa Khera village was also damaged. BSNL exchange in Chananwal village and a sewa kendra at Handiaya of Barnala were also ransacked.
In Patiala and Sangrur districts, the police have registered three first information reports against unidentified persons after sporadic incidents in which unsuccessful bid was made to torch a school in Banur. Besides a foodgrain warehouse in Samana, BSNL exchange and a tehsil office was ransacked in Sangrur. No untoward incident was reported in Fazilka and Ferozepur district barring minor skirmishes.
RAILWAY STATIONS, VEHICLES SET AFIRE, BSNL EXCHANGES ALSO DAMAGED; ARMY CALLED IN 10 DISTRICTS