Situation continued to remain tense in Patiala after two religious groups clashed with each other on Friday afternoon, leaving four injured, and compelling the district administration to impose an 11-hour curfew from 7 pm on Friday till 6 am on Saturday “to control the law and order situation in the area”.
However, all emergency and essential services have been exempted from the curfew.
Acting tough, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday held a high-level meeting with the top brass, and ordered an immediate inquiry into the incident of clashes in Patiala. At the same time, the Chief Minister issued directions to the top brass of the police department that none of the culprits, responsible for the unfortunate incident, should be spared.
Tension prevailed in the city after the clash broke out outside the famous Kali Mata temple between members of Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) on one side and a group of Sikh activists, including Sikh activists, and Nihangs (an order of Sikh warriors, characterised by blue robes, antiquated arms) on the others.
The two factions shouted slogans, pelted stones at each other, with many brandishing swords. The police had to fire in the air to disperse the crowd. As per police officials, four people, including a policeman, were injured in the clashes.
The State authorities claimed that the situation has now been brought under control. Notably, Shiv Sena’s (Bal Thackrey) working president Harish Singla had given a call to hold an anti-Khalistan protest march in the city about a week ago. Denied permission, the Shiv Sena members were raising slogans against Khalistan in Kali Mata Temple.
The Nihangs first gathered at Dukh Niwaran Sahib gurdwara to counter the Shiv Sena’s protest, and then started marching towards the temple raising pro-Khalistan slogans.
A separate contingent of the police force was deployed in heavy numbers at Arya Samaj, a kilometer away, where Sena members were holding the protest, to prevent a direct face-off between the two sides.
There were reports of stone-pelting by the Sikh activists as well as Hindu leaders present inside the temple, the gates of which were locked to prevent the Sikh protesters from entering. “The police had to open fire in the air given the situation and the same was done after prior approval from the Duty Magistrate who was present at the spot,” said the Inspector-General of Police, Patiala Range, Rajesh Agrawal.
Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh were present at the spot. The Deputy Commissioner has also convened a peace meeting of representatives from both groups on Saturday.
SSP Nanak Singh said the Shiv Sena had not been given permission to carry out their anti-Khalistan march. “Shiv Sena was denied permission. Even though no march by the outfit took place, the skirmish happened after Sikh organisations reached the site on the basis of certain rumours.
Terming the incident as highly deplorable and extremely unfortunate that needs to be condemned by one and all in the strictest possible words, Mann appealed to the people to maintain law and order at all costs besides upholding the long traditional love, peace, brotherhood, and harmony.
Later in the day, Shiv Sena’s Punjab unit expelled Harish Singla, who gave a call for an anti-Khalistan march.
Singla, however, demanded that the Punjab Police and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government should take strict action against these people. On the other hand, Jaswinder Singh Rajpura said that Sikh organisations had appealed for many days that some organisations are vitiating the atmosphere against the Sikh community.
