Security beefed up after armed Sikh protesters go on a rampage on Mohali-Chandigarh border

Chandigarh: Tensions continued to prevail around the city border with Mohali (Punjab) on Thursday after armed Sikh protesters went on a rampage on Wednesday evening as they clashed with police in an attempt to force their entry into union territory (UT) of Chandigarh. The protesters wanted to demonstrate in front of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence here.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀, 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲

The protesters - some of whom were riding horses, carrying swords and sticks - ploughed through the police barricades forcing their entry into the UT following which the police used the water cannon and briefly used mild lathi-charge. Provoked by it, the protesters clashed with the police, injuring about 30 personnel of both Mohali and Chandigarh police forces and vandalising about a dozen police vehicles.

Assembled at the dharna site since about a month under the banner of Kaumi Insaf Morcha, the Sikh protesters who are still continuing their dharna, have been demanding the release of Sikh prisoners (called Bandi Singhs in Punjabi), who they claim have completed their jail terms. Their demanda include justice in 2015 sacrilege cases in district Faridkot.

The protesters include Nihangs (Sikhs armed with traditional weapons) and have been demanding the release of Sikh prisoners including Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh in 1995 and Devinder Bhullar, a convict in 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict.

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗵

While the Mohali police has registered case against unknown persons for attempt to murder, rioting and assaulting police personnel besides several other sections of IPC, the Chandigarh police has registered a case under similar sections as well as under Arms Act besides some other sections against Gurcharan Singh, Balwinder Singh, Amar Singh Chahal, Dilsher Singh Jandyala, Jaswinder Singh Rajpura, Rupinderjit Singh and other unknown persons.

According to information, the protesters are associated with different religious bodies and farmers organisations. The UT police FIR also held that besides snatching a teargas handgun, its ammunition, the protesters who raised pro-Khalistan slogans also tried to kill police personnel.

𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗻𝗷𝗮𝗯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀

The UT DGP Praveer Ranjan held that the violent protest lasted for about two hours around 3 pm in the Punjab area after which the UT police personnel were attacked. The Mohali police, however, held that most of the vandalism was done on the UT side. However, according to sources a complete lack of coordination between the police forces of the two sides was evident.

The UT police further held that even though the protesters had been informed that they would not be allowed to hold any protest as the prohibitory orders against assembly of four or more people was in place, yet they attempted to force their entry into Chandigarh. On Thursday, subsequent to the rampage, the police bandobust had been beefed up around the dharna site with additional deployment.