A day after clashes between two groups broke out in Patiala, the Punjab Government on Saturday shunted out three senior police officials, including an inspector general, and suspended mobile internet and SMS services in Patiala district which was restored after 4 pm. In the clashes between the two groups over an anti-Khalistan march, four people were injured.
The AAP Government in the State transferred the inspector general of police (IG) Patiala range, the Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) and the Patiala superintendent of police (SP) with immediate effect.
A spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said Mukhwinder Singh Chinna has been appointed as the new IG-Patiala while Deepak Parik will be the new Patiala SSP. Wazir Singh has been appointed as the new SP of Patiala. Chinna replaces Rakesh Agrawal as IG (Patiala Range) while Parik takes over the post of SSP Patiala from Nanak Singh. Police and district administration authorities on Saturday claimed that the situation is under control and peaceful in the city. Heavy police security has been deployed at the site of the clashes outside the Kali Mata temple here.
Various Hindu outfits had given a call for a bandh in protest against the Friday incident and several markets in Patiala city remained shut on Saturday. Representatives of some Hindu outfits lifted their “dharna” outside the temple and deferred their proposed protest march after police and district administration assured them of action within two days against those who were behind the disturbance and violence on Friday.
The groups had clashed over the anti-Khalistan march, hurling stones at each other and brandishing swords. Police had to fire in the air to bring the situation under control. The Opposition parties attacked the AAP-led regime, alleging that the law and order in the State had collapsed. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a probe into the clashes and said that not a single culprit will be spared.
The order to suspend mobile internet and SMS services, except voice calls, was issued by the State’s Home Affairs and Justice Department. The Govt initially ordered to suspend internet till 6 pm on Saturday and later modified it for 4 pm. Talking to reporters, Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said the situation is calm and peaceful. “We have deployed the police force here. The situation is peaceful right now and the situation is under control. We are constantly monitoring the situation,” Sawhney said.
On suspension of mobile internet services, the official said this step was taken to prevent any rumour mongering, and appealed to people not to panic. To a question on whether one person received bullet injury in the Friday incident, Sawhney said a bullet had hit a person but it was yet not clear how it hit him. “Videos are being examined…the patient is stable,” said the DC.
Inspector General (Patiala Range) Rakesh Agrawal, who has now been transferred, said FIRs have been lodged in the matter and Harish Singla, working president of a group called ‘’Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray)’’ has been arrested. He said action will be taken against those whosoever is behind this incident. “The situation is under control,” said Agrawal. Asked on the alleged failure of the administration and police in preventing the clashes, Agrawal said it will be examined but added that the police force did some good work. “The clash could have been bigger and it (clash) started due to some rumour and it was controlled as well,” said Agrawal. To a question on transfer of police officers, Agrawal said it is the prerogative of the Government to do so.