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Nihangs ‘threaten’ Christians for Good Friday procession in Amritsar, ASI suspended
Punjab State Minority Commission team visited Pakharpura village to probe alleged incident where Nihangs threatened Christians during a Good Friday rally. Police suspended assistant sub-inspector for negligence in providing security. Commission asked police to provide adequate security to the church and search for miscreants.
A team of Punjab State Minority Commission led-by member Subash Thoba on Saturday visited Pakharpura village of Amritsar to probe the alleged incident in which a group of Nihangs ‘threatened’ Christians who were taking out a rally to observe Good Friday.
The team members, during their visit, also informed that the police department has suspended assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Jasbir Singh, in-charge of the Pakharpura police post, for negligence in providing adequate security for the rally.
Superintendent of Police (headquarters) Sukhwant Kaur and deputy superintendent of police (Majitha) Manmohan Singh were also present during the team’s visit.
The team visited the village’s St Thomas Church and collected information regarding the incident from Father Jibon and other persons. Father Jibon told the team that the church had organised a religious rally to mark Good Friday. “The police’s post’s in-charge was requested in writing well in advance to provide adequate security during the rally. However, on the rally day, no security was provided. When the rally reached the Amritsar-Jalandhar highway, a group of Nihangs in two cars came wielding swords in their hands. The Nihangs terrorised the devotees, who fled in terror. The Nihangs also fled the scene later,” he said.
Subhash Thoba said the police has been told to provide adequate security to the church and launch a search for the miscreants.
“Punjab government will not allow anybody to attack any religion and disrupt the peace,” he said.
The team members also met the senior superintendent of police (SSP-rural) Satinder Singh and asked him to ensure that no such incident occurs in the future.
