1,200 cops deployed at Punjab Agricultural University for debate

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann had thrown a challenge to Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for the debate

Ahead of an open debate on issues concerning Punjab at Dr Manmohan Singh Auditorium in Ludhiana on Wednesday, at least 1,200 police personnel have been deployed at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) campus.

A total of 3,500 police personnel, including personnel from Punjab Armed Police (PAP), will be deployed in Ludhiana. (HT File)

Chief minister Bhagwant Mann had thrown a challenge to Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, state Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for the debate.

A total of 3,500 police personnel, including personnel from Punjab Armed Police (PAP), will be deployed in the city.

As PAU students are protesting against the political event in the university, police officials said nobody would be allowed to disturb law and order situation in the campus.

Senior officials, including special DGP Arpit Shukla and additional director general of police (traffic) AS Rai, are already in the city.

As Ludhiana commissioner of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu is on leave, and inspector general Gurpreet Singh Bhullar will be overseeing the security arrangements. IG Bhullar also conducted an inspection of the venue on Tuesday.

ADGP Rai said the leaders who will be participating in the debate will enter from gate number 1 of PAU. Extra force has been deployed around the campus too to avert any kind of agitation.

A senior police officer disclosed that there is an arrangement for 1,050 participants in the hall.

The university authorities have issued specific instructions to the staff. They have been mandated to carry their official identification cards.

ADCP (traffic and operations) Sameer Verma said the movement of buses coming from Moga and Ferozepur would be restricted from going towards PAU. More diversions can be made on Wednesday depending upon the flow of traffic.