In the field to take the first-hand information of the damage done post Dera chief verdict, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday gave a “free hand” to the police to maintain peace in view of the scheduled sentencing of Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Monday.
“Free hand is given to the police to crack down on potential trouble makers ahead of the sentencing of rape convict Ram Rahim,” said the Chief Minister while making it clear that his Government was fully geared up to maintain peace in the State at all costs.
At the same time, Capt Amarinder made it clear that no compensation would be given by the State Government to “law breakers” from Punjab who were killed in Panchkula carnage in the wake of the court verdict against Ram Rahim.
“The Government is preparing a list of the damage caused to the public and private property…There would be no compensation for those who took the law in their hands and indulged in violence,” said Capt Amarinder.
He added that the list of damaged property would be submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court for recovery of compensation from the Dera, as per the court’s directions.
Capt Amarinder also leave it on the Centre to decide on ordering a probe into Friday’s Dera violence across the State. “It is for the Centre to take any decision on ordering a probe into the collapse of law and order that led to the anarchy and violence in Panchkula and other parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi on Friday,” said Capt Amarinder.
Making it clear that it was a matter to be decided by the Central Government, he reiterated that the main cause of trouble was allowing such a large crowd to gather in Panchkula ahead of the court verdict. “This had led to the carnage in which, of the 24 bodies identified so far, 11 victims each were from Haryana and Punjab and one each from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand,” he said.
laying blames on Haryana, Capt Amarinder maintained that Haryana Chief Minister had made no attempt to get in touch with him even though the Punjab intelligence agencies were regularly providing their counterparts in the neighbouring state with all inputs.
CAPT’S DAY OUT: MEETS PEOPlE AND SECURITY MEN
Capt Amarinder on Sunday toured nearly a dozen areas in some of the sensitive districts in Malwa region of Punjab, which witnessed sporadic incidents of violence in the wake of the court verdict against the Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim on Friday.
Starting from Kotli Kalan in Mansa, the Chief Minister toured the areas of Maur, Bhatinda, Balluana (Bathinda Rural), Gidderbaha and Malaout, where he met the people and security forces to thank for ensuring complete law and order amid the mounting tension on Friday.
In a morale booster to the police and army personnel ahead “sentencing” day, Capt Amarinder inquired about their well-being and asked if they were facing any problems due to the prevailing circumstances.
He expressed his gratitude to the Punjab police and paramilitary forces for their commendable job and distributed fruit to the men and women maintaining vigil.
In Bathinda Rural, the Chief Minister visited the Balluana railway station damaged in the violence and spoke to the staff members, who gave him a first-hand account of the developments of Friday.
They described to Capt Amarinder how armed men broke into the railway offices and damaged windows, computers etc, before making an abortive attempt to set the station afire.
CAPT HOPES CENTRE WIll TACKlE OFFENDERS WITH IRON HAND
Capt Amarinder, welcoming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong condemnation of the Dera violence during his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme on radio, expressed hope that the Central Government would tackle the criminals who indulged in violence with an iron hand. “Nobody can or should be allowed to disturb the law and order of any State or region in the country,” he added.
CURFEW TO STAY; STATE PEACEFUl
Maintaining that no fresh incident of violence was reported after Friday, Capt Amarinder said that the curfew would continue and any decision on relaxation or lifting it would be taken only after reviewing the situation.
“We understand the safety of the people of Punjab. The arrangements were made before-hand. There is peace in our state since the court had convicted Dera chief. We are touring the southern Punjab, where Dera Sacha Sauda supporters have a greater hold, to check if everything is all right there. The curfew will continue and any decision on relaxation or lifting it would be taken only after reviewing the situation,” he said.
Capt Amarinder added that the day curfew in the area had been lifted and the district administration would again review the situation at night.
“There has been no fresh incident of violence in Punjab after Friday’s minor cases of attack on property and vehicles by Dera supporters,” said Capt Amarinder adding that eight people from Punjab were killed during the mayhem in Panchkula. There was no loss of life in these incidents in Punjab, the Chief Minister reiterated, adding that the situation in the state was completely stable.
He directed the district administration and police to ensure that there is no disruption of peace in the region and all steps are taken to maintain law and order.
45 PREVENTIVE ARRESTS, 23 FIRs
Chief Minister said that 45 preventive arrests have been made so far under sections 107, 151 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the seven districts of the sensitive Bathinda zone, which was considered the base of Dera supporters in Punjab. A total of 23 FIRs have been registered, with 30 arrests, he said, adding that 62 petrol bombs had been seized. The police have also recovered a 12-bore gun with a dozen cartridges and a .22 revolver with 28 cartridges, said the Chief Minister, expressing satisfaction that the situation in the region was under control and there was no sign of panic among the people.