Three Patiala cops shunted, six FIRs filed on violence
PATIALA: The Punjab government on Saturday shunted out three senior police officials after clashes broke out between members of a right-wing group and Sikh radicals in Patiala on Friday, even as police registered six first information reports (FIRs) and arrested three people.
An uneasy calm prevailed near the city’s Kali Devi temple, where the violence broke out, on Saturday, with heavy police deployment in the area.
The police have named 24 people in the six FIRs, officials said. Mobile internet and SMS services, which were suspended from 9.30am by the state’s home affairs and justice department, were restored around 4pm.
The clashes erupted during a “Khalistan Murdabad” march from Arya Samaj Chowk to Kali Devi temple on Friday. The march was organized by members of a right-wing group, Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) — no connection with the Shiv Sena, the police said on Friday.
The outfit’s Punjab unit chief, Harish Singla, said the march was taken out in protest of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice convener Gurpatwant Singh Pannu’s announcement marking April 29 as Khalistan’s foundation day.
On Saturday, the Aam Aadmi Party government in the state transferred the inspector general of police Patiala Range, Patiala senior superintendent of police and the Patiala superintendent of police with immediate effect.
A spokesperson from the chief minister’s office said Mukhwinder Singh Chinna has been appointed as the new IG-Patiala, while Deepak Parik will be the new Patiala SSP. Wazir Singh has been appointed as the new superintendent of police of Patiala, the spokesperson said. Chinna replaces Rakesh Agrawal as IG (Patiala Range).
Addressing reporters after taking over as the IG, Chinna said a manhunt has been launched to arrest the accused. “A total of six FIRs have been registered and so far 24 accused have been identified. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab them,” Chinna said. He said out of total 24 accused, three have been arrested — Singla, Daljeet Singh
and Kuldeep Singh.
“Punjab Police will come down very heavily on whoever tries to disturb peace and communal harmony,” Chinna, flanked by Patiala deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, said.
A local court has sent Singla to two-day police remand, said Chinna.
Singla was arrested on Friday and booked under various sections including 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said Chinna.
A radical Sikh leader, Barjinder Singh Parwana, has been identified as the principal conspirator in the case, said Chinna. “He is yet to be arrested. Several police teams have been formed to nab him,” he said.
Various Hindu groups had given a call for a bandh in protest against Friday’s clashes. The groups deferred their protest after Chinna assured them of action against the accused.
Hitting out at the police, Hindu leader Ashutosh Gautam said “radicals pelted stone on the temple and it’s a sacrilegious act, which took place because of failure of police”. Gautam sustained injuries in the clashes. Condemning the incident, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee leader Karnail Singh Panjoli called it a failure of the police. “It was the failure of police due to which such incident took place. Had the police reined in elements like Harish Singla when they announced anti-Khalistan march no such incident would have taken place,” Panjoli said. He said it is the failure of the AAP government in the state.
This is the first major law and order incident in the state under the Bhagwant Mann-led state government.
Talking to reporters in Delhi, Mann said the clashes were between two political parties and not two communities, as he blamed the Akali Dal and the BJP for the violence. “This was a clash between two political parties and not between two communities. In Punjab, people live in peace. A probe is going on over who instigated the violent incidents. No one will be spared,” he said. Meanwhile, Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, led by state unit chief Ashwani Sharma, on Saturday paid obeisance at Kali Mata temple and appealed to the people to maintain peace.