Punjab: Two SFJ activists arrested for vandalising Ambedkar’s statue

Commissioner of police (CP) Satinder Singh said the arrested individuals were identified as Sukhpreet Singh and Rajdeep Singh, both residents of Nihaluwal village in Jalandhar Rural

The Jalandhar commissionerate police arrested two operatives of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) for dismembering statues of Dr BR Ambedkar and scribbling pro-Khalistan graffiti on the wall of Jalandhar’s Red Cross Bhawan on Thursday.

Also scribbled pro-Khalistan graffiti on the wall of Jalandhar’s Red Cross Bhawan, say police. (HT File)

Commissioner of police (CP) Satinder Singh said the arrested individuals were identified as Sukhpreet Singh and Rajdeep Singh, both residents of Nihaluwal village in Jalandhar Rural.

Both have criminal histories with cases registered against them under the Arms Act and NDPS Act.

Singh said according to information, pro-Khalistani slogans were found on the outer wall of the Red Cross Bhawan on September 29. The mastermind of the banned outfit Gurpatwant Singh Pannun also posted a video about it on social media platforms.

He said acting swiftly, police teams registered a first information report (FIR) and initiated an investigation under the supervision of deputy superintendent of police (DCP, City) Aditya Warrier and DCP (Investigation) Manpreet Singh Dhillon. Police teams subsequently zeroed in on both the suspects and arrested them, he said.

“During the investigation, the accused disclosed that they also vandalised the statue of BR Ambedkar in Barian Kalan village near Chabbewal in Hoshiarpur on the intervening night between September 14 and 15. An FIR under Section 298 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered in this regard at the Chabbewal police station,” he said.

The commissioner added that both the accused will be produced before a local court for police remand to uncover backward and forward linkages, and identify other associates involved in the conspiracy.