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Death at Mohali protest site: Police, Quami Insaf Morcha dispel social media rumors
Announcements were being made at the protest site near YPS Chowk, Mohali, urging people to not buy into the fake messages
A day after the decomposed body of a Nihang was found in one of the tents set up by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha at their YPS Chowk blockade, police took to social media to dispel fake messages being spread about the incident.
Deputy superintendent of police (DSP, City-2) Harsimran Singh Bal maintained that the deceased person has not been identified yet, adding that police have found some photographs, but the same were not enough to substantiate identification.
The DSP urged residents not to believe in any rumours being spread about the death at the protest site.
Morcha leader Gurcharan Singh, foster father of Jagtar Singh Hawara, one of the assassins of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, who had informed the police about the incident on Friday, meanwhile also criticised a message doing rounds on social media. Dubbing it “fake”, he urged people to not buy into such rumours.
“I have learnt about the message being circulated on social media that the dead body was planted by police. It is absolutely incorrect and some anti-social elements are deliberately spreading such messages to instigate innocent people of the state. I would urge people not to share or believe in such fake messages,” Gurcharan Singh said.
Gurcharan, who identified the deceased as a resident of Gorsian village in Sidhwan Bet, said the deceased had two months ago joined Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh — who has been on the run since the recent police crackdown on his organisation.
He said the deceased had arrived at the Morcha nearly 12 days ago, adding, “The post-mortem would ascertain the cause of death, but giving it a colour of extra judicial killing or fake encounter is farfetched and absolutely false information being spread with a malicious intent.”
Meanwhile, the protest site near YPS Chowk remained largely peaceful. Announcements were being made, urging people to not buy into the fake messages. Paramilitary personnel were cordoning the road heading towards Chandigarh (Sector 52 and 53 intersection) that had witnessed violence on February 8 after Sikh activists clashed with police forces, leaving at least 33 personnel injured.
