Patiala violence: How police, admn were caught napping
On April 17, Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) led by Harish Singla had announced to counter the ‘Khalistan march’, but cops failed to take any action
PATIALA : Despite the right-wing leaders and Sikh hardliners locking horns after US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun gave a call to observe “the Khalistan foundation day” on April 29 a fortnight ago, the Patiala administration, particularly the police, were caught napping.
There was no barricading, no arrangement of water cannons, exposing the callous attitude of the police. This despite the fact that Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) led by Harish Singla had announced to counter the “Khalistan march”. He held a press conference on April 17 announcing to counter the Khalistan march and also spread the message through the social media. The Sikh radicals also said that they would not allow Singla to hold the procession. However, the administration and the police conveniently ignored this, not thinking that this would lead to a serious law and order problem.
On Friday, Sikh radicals, led by some unidentified persons and nihangs, gathered at Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib to take on the activists of the right-wing organisation. A large number of radicals, some from faraway places such as Bathinda, Mansa, Amritsar and other parts of Punjab, converged at the gurdwara in the wee hours of Friday and started moving towards the Kali Devi Temple, where Singla was to conclude his march.
Even as a SP-rank official held parleys with the radicals, they didn’t relent and continued their march towards the temple calling Singla and his supporters “bandar sena” (monkey army). There were no efforts by the police to stop them even as it took radicals three hours to reach the temple where the clash took place.
Singla and his supporters, who started the march from walled city, also moved towards the Kali Mata Temple raising pro-Khalistan slogans.
The situation turned violent outside the temple as Sikh radicals started attacking right-wing supporters, injuring BJP leader Ashutosh Gautam. Both the factions, one from inside the temple and the other from the outside, start pelting each other with stones.
SSP Nanak Singh reached the spot and ordered firing in the air, but the police action was not enough to control the situation. The situation was brought under control after the home secretary and the DGP intervened.
DC Sakshi Sawhney and IG, Patiala, Rakesh Kumar Agarwal managed to pacify the warring factions and asked Sikh radicals to move away from the temple. They also asked the Hindu organisation activists to leave the temple. More police force was deployed at the spot.
However, a large number of radicals started moving city, forcing the DC imposed a curfew. “Singla had not taken permission to hold the march. We have booked and arrested him,” said SP Harpal Singh. FIRs have also been registered against members of the rival factions.