The Mansa district police have registered three first information reports (FIRs) and have begun identifying those involved in incidents of arson and hate speech during protests against the killing of the anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, alias Jhota.
Bathinda police range deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Harjeet Singh said in Mansa on Friday that police initiated action after the Insaf Committee, which is seeking justice in the Jhota murder case, agreed to it at a meeting attended by Mansa deputy commissioner Navjot Kaur and SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary.
The DIG said the videos of the incidents are being analysed by the police technical wing to identify the culprits.
“A shopkeeper was manhandled by the anti-social elements who joined the protest on Thursday, and teams have been formed to identify the miscreants,” the DIG said.
Police authorities said that in the first case, a mob had ransacked and torched accused Ashwani Kumar’s pharmacy shop on Wednesday, after he shot dead Jhota on October 13.
On the same day, a section of the mob, led by Nihangs, had reached a private colony in Mansa town after rumours that the accused owned a house there.
{{/usCountry}}On the same day, a section of the mob, led by Nihangs, had reached a private colony in Mansa town after rumours that the accused owned a house there.
{{/usCountry}}Videos of the incident went viral on social media, showing a mob leader making communal and hateful remarks against the business community. HT couldn’t independently verify the veracity of the videos.
On Thursday, a group of protesters ransacked a shop and burnt the shopkeeper’s tobacco stock after the mob objected to his alleged violation of the Punjab bandh call.
Mansa SSP Vaibhav Chaudhary said that social media content and CCTV footage related to the three incidents had been obtained to help identify and arrest the culprits.
He said that the committee, in consultation with the trading community, decided that all commercial establishments in the town would reopen from Friday after remaining shut for three consecutive days following the incident.
“Strict police action will be taken against anyone found forcing shopkeepers to shut their establishments or indulging in hooliganism in the name of agitation. Leaders of the protesting group have extended support to the decision of the administration,” the SSP said.
Jhota’s father Bhim Singh said in the evening that the 21-member committee has resolved to disown anyone who indulged in violence or made communal remarks.
He clarified that the agitation was aimed at curbing drug trafficking and he supported all political parties, except the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which he accused of lacking seriousness in tackling the illegal narcotics trade.
Singh urged the local Dusshera organising committee to celebrate the festival. However, members of the panel said that they have unanimously decided to shelve the celebrations this year due to the incident.
Jathedar visits Mansa
Akal Takht acting jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj met the Jhota’s family in Mansa on Friday. Gargaj said that Jhota had made the fight against drugs his life’s mission.
Gargaj announced that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) would bear the medical expenses of those injured in the incident.
Neelam sent to 6-day remand
The SSP said Neelam Rani, wife of the main accused, Kumar, was produced in court on Friday, and the duty magistrate sent her to six-day police custody.