Fearing communal violence, the Punjab police on Sunday stepped up security in the “sensitive” parts of the State a day after Dera Sacha Sauda sect follower Mohinder Pal Bittu, one of the prime suspects in a case relating to the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari in 2015, was killed inside the prison.
Tight security measures were put in place across the State, especially in Kotkapura town in Faridkot, to prevent any untoward incident. Bittu was killed allegedly by two inmates in the high-security Nabha prison.
Bittu, a follower of Dera Sacha Sauda sect, was allegedly attacked by two murder-convict jail inmates on Saturday evening after which he was rushed to Nabha civil hospital near Patiala, where he was declared brought dead.
The two attackers were produced before the Court on Sunday which sent them on four-day police remand.
After a three-member panel of doctors conducted the post-mortem at 4 am at Nabha Civil Hospital, Bittu’s body was handed over to the family, and brought to his native town Kotkapura, where large number of Dera followers gathered since morning. His body has been placed in Naam Charcha Ghar (congregation or prayer centres) in Kotkapura.
In fact, the Dera had cancelled its weekly district-level Naam Charcha (congregation) across the State, while asking its followers to reach Kotkapura.
Inspector General of Police (Ferozepur Range) MS Chhina has been camping in Kotakpura to keep a tab on the situation at Kotkapura, which is the epicentre of sacrilege incidents followed by police firing in which two Sikh protestors were killed in October 2015.
“Sufficient paramilitary and state police force has been deployed in the town to maintain peace,” he said.
Kotkapura and many of its adjoining towns in Punjab have sizeable presence of Dera followers. Security has also been stepped up in 'Naam Charcha Ghars' at other places in the state.
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, while appealing to the public not to get swayed by rumours and maintain peace at all costs, has already ordered an inquiry into the fatal assault on Bittu, besides ordering beefing up of security in the State.
Those involved in the attack would face punishment for the crime, he had said.
The preliminary investigations said that 49-year-old Bittu was allegedly killed by Gursewak Singh and Maninder Singh with iron rods. Both are serving life terms for murder.
The government spokesperson said that the state Additional Director General (Prisons) Rohit Chaudhary will head the fact-finding committee, which has been asked to submit a report within three days.
The inquiry will be in addition to the mandatory judicial inquest into the murder of the accused, added the government spokesperson.
The attack inside the prison incident also evoked sharp reaction from the opposition, with SAD president Sukhbir Badal demanding an inquiry, while his party's senior leader Balwinder Singh Bhunder said that if “this is the state of jails in Punjab, then one can imagine law and order situation in the state”.
MAGISTERIAL PROBE ORDERED
Punjab Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday said that a magisterial probe has been marked into the attack.
“The Bargari accused were kept in separate cell so that such incident does not take place. Unfortunately, such a thing happened. Three jail officials have been suspended,” said Randhawa.
He said that under what circumstances Mahinder Pal come out of his cell and attacked will be known once probe is held.
Already, the Minister had ordered suspension of two jail warders, besides shifting three other officials. “Assistant Superintendent of Jail Ajmer Singh and warder Major Singh and Aman Giri have been suspended for lapse in security,” he had said on Saturday.
Jail Superintendent Balkar Singh Bhullar said that the incident took place following an altercation between Bittu and the accused in the evening, but the motive was yet to be ascertained.
Inspector General, Patiala Range, AS Rai said that both the attackers are baptised Sikhs who are claiming to have attacked Bittu “because he is the main accused in the Bargari case”.
SON ALLEGES CONSPIRACY
Dera follower Mahinder Pal Bittu's son Parminder on Sunday alleged that his father has been “killed under a conspiracy”.
Parminder told the reporters in Kotkapura that family used to meet him in jail every Saturday. “Every Saturday, we used to meet him. As soon as we left yesterday, minutes later we were informed that he has been attacked...my father has been killed under a conspiracy,” he alleged.
Bittu's son also alleged that case against his father “was registered under a conspiracy. His name was dragged into this case, we want justice”.
GANGSTER BUDDDA CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY OF BITTU KILLING
A gangster Sukhpreet Budda has, in a Facebook post, claimed the responsibility for the attack on Bittu, saying that the two inmates were members of his group.
A senior police official in Moga said that cyber cell of the police had been asked to investigate the claims posted by the gangster on Facebook.