SFJ issues fresh threats to Jai Ram, DGP Kundu
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of the banned pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in an audio message sent through a mail to media houses issued fresh threats to Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur and DGP Sanjay Kundu on Thursday.
He announced a reward of $25,000 to anyone who will provide information about foreign visits of Thakur and Kundu.
“The SFJ had asked you not to take any action against the activists who hoisted Khalistan flag at Vidhan Sabha. Now the war is on. SFJ will give USD 25,000 for providing information of foreign visits of CM Thakur and DGP Kundu, or any other minister of Himachal or their family members,” said Pannun.
“We will hold you and your family accountable under the Foreign Human Rights Violation Act,” he added.
Responding to the threats, DGP Kundu said: “We will not be cowed down by these threats. We are doing our job. The police have already sought assistance from the Interpol to get a red cornered notice against him.”
Accused sent to four-day police remand
A Dharamshala court on Thursday remanded Harbir Singh alias Raju, who is accused of putting up Khalistan flags at the gate of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, to four-day police custody.
A resident of Morinda in Punjab’s Rupnagar, he was arrested by the HP Police’s SIT on Wednesday. The second accused, Paramjit Singh of Rurhki Heera village in Chamkaur Sahib, gave the cops a slip and is still at large.
Harbir was produced in the court of civil judge-cum-judicial magistrate Shubhangi Joshi in the afternoon and later taken to an undisclosed location. Police sources said he was also taken to the places where he and Paramjit had stayed.
Khalistan flags were put up at the gate of Himachal Vidhan Sabha’s Tapvoan complex near Dharamshala and graffiti was scrawled on its boundary wall on May 8.
AAP corners govt again
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has again slammed the Himachal government over the incident. Former DGP and AAP state spokesperson ID Bhandari said the accused were arrested only after a statewide protest by his party.
Jai Ram hits back
Jai Ram Thakur covertly hit back at the AAP and said, “Ever since a political change has taken place in a particular state, some people have started throwing challenges and are also executing their plans at some places.
On the fresh threats issued by SFJ’s Pannun, he admitted that his government did not take him seriously earlier, but given the incidents that have taken place in past few days, they have taken a serious note.
The CM said the government acted swiftly after the Dharamshala incident and an SIT was constituted which has arrested one accused. He also lauded the Himachal police for handling the case professionally. “Since it is a tourist season, we have also beefed up the security in the state and increased surveillance,” he added.