PATIALA/CHANDIGARH: A day after the clash between two groups in Patiala outside a Kali Mata temple over a protest march, the Punjab government on Saturday transferred the top three police officers of the district and ordered the suspension of mobile internet services from 9.30 am to 6 pm.
The state government moved out Patiala SSP Nanak Singh, IGP Rakesh Agrawal and SP of Patiala city Harpal Singh. As per CMO’s office, Mukhwinder Singh Chinna was appointed as the new Patiala IGP, while Deepak Parik and Wazir Singh were posted as SSP and SP of Patiala, respectively.
Chinna later said “one person has received a bullet injury, but the bullet has not been extracted as doctors claim it may prove fatal”. Police said a probe is on to identify who shot the man.
Police also registered six cases under IPC and accused 25 people of the violence. They claimed to have arrested three accused so far, including a Shiv Sena member. To prevent any flare-up, police and district officials convinced the Hindu organisations’ leaders, who had gathered near Kali Devi temple on Saturday, to call off their planned protest march.
Patiala deputy commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said internet services in Patiala had been temporarily suspended to stop the spread of rumours. Cops said FIR No. 74 has been registered against accused Harish Singla, a Shiv Sena member, under IPC Section 153 A. He was produced before the court on Saturday and remanded in police custody for two days.
He had also been assaulted by Hindu outfit leaders during a meeting at Kali Devi temple on Friday as they blamed him for promoting disharmony among different communities.
Police claimed on Saturday that besides Singla, accused Kuldeep Singh and Daljit Singh were arrested and raids were being carried out to apprehend the remaining accused. The situation remained peaceful in Patiala despite the bandh call given by Hindu outfits to protest against Friday’s clash.
