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 Mannโs residence here.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐, ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ
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.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐ถ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ต
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.
๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฃ๐๐ป๐ท๐ฎ๐ฏ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ด๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ต ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐
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.
