The Punjab government on Saturday shunted out three senior police officers, including an inspector general, as uneasy calm prevailed in Patiala a day after clashes between two groups over an anti-Khalistan march that had left four people injured.
Police have registered six FIRs in connection with the violence and arrested two more people, including two aides of self-styled Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) leader Harish Singla who had organised the march and was arrested on Friday.
In all, 24 people have been named in various FIRs, including Sikh radical leader Barjinder Singh Parwana, who according to police was the “main conspirator” and has gone into hiding.
Meanwhile, mobile internet and SMS services that were suspended in the district at 9:30 am by the state’s home affairs and justice department were restored in the evening. Heavy police force has been deployed in the main city to keep the situation under control, and it is learnt that the chief minister’s office (CMO) and home secretary are personally monitoring the situation. Various political and social organisations also appealed to the people and authorities to ensure peace.
Earlier in the day, the government transferred inspector general of police (Patiala range) Rakesh Aggarwal, Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nanak Singh besides the Patiala SP (city), DSP (city) and two station house officers. Their new postings have not been announced yet, and an inquiry has also been marked.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier in the day, the government transferred inspector general of police (Patiala range) Rakesh Aggarwal, Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nanak Singh besides the Patiala SP (city), DSP (city) and two station house officers. Their new postings have not been announced yet, and an inquiry has also been marked.
{{/usCountry}}A spokesperson of CMO said Mukhwinder Singh Chhina has been appointed as the new IG-Patiala while Deepak Parik will be the new Patiala SSP.
“A total of six FIRs have been registered and so far 24 suspects have been identified. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab them. No one will be allowed to disturb peace in the city,” said IG Mukhwinder Singh Chinna, who held a meeting with the city’s peace committee and prominent Hindu community members and other stakeholders after taking over charge from Rakesh Aggarwal.
Chinna said an FIR has been registered against Parwana and his associates for stone pelting, and said police have procured the incident’s CCTV footage and would not spare anyone found indulging in violence and stone pelting.
Various Hindu groups, which had given a call for a bandh in protest against the Friday’s incident, deferred it for two days and lifted their dharna from outside the Kali Mata temple after the IG’s assurance.
Meanwhile, Singla and his two aides -- Daljeet Singh and Kuldeep Singh -- were produced in court and sent to two-day police remand. Patiala deputy commissioner Sawhney said the situation is calm and peaceful.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann said the clashes in Patiala were between two political parties and not two communities, as he blamed the Akali Dal and the BJP for the violence.
He said a probe to ascertain who instigated the violence is underway, and nobody involved will be spared howsoever high positions they might be occupying. “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.
Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony and also said that whosoever was behind the Friday incident will not be spared. “CM Mann saab himself is monitoring the situation,” he further said.
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP leaders led by its state unit chief Ashwani Sharma on Saturday paid obeisance at Kali Mata temple and appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony. Sharma demanded an independent probe into the incident and strict action against those who were behind this incident.
SGPC leader Karnail Singh Panjoli also condemned the incident and termed it as failure of police. Whereas he demanded probe in firing incident in which one Sikh is injured, he also asked government to rein in social media savvy fringe elements, who are disturbing peace of city.
Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday warned of strict action against perpetrators of clashes that broke out between two groups in Patiala. Speaking to the reporters at the joint conference of chief ministers and chief justices of high courts, Kejriwal said, “Whosoever will disrupt the peace of Punjab, strict action will be taken against them.”
(with agency inputs)