Jalandhar, October 16
Panic gripped the old part of the city this morning as agitating supporters of Jaswinder Singh Jajj, who was allegedly stabbed to death by Congress councillor Bal Kishan Balli and his two sons last night, went berserk, damaged vehicles, pelted a moving passenger train with stones and forced closure of shops in the Kishanpura, Ma Hiran Gate, Baldev Nagar, Santokhpura and Laxmipura localities even as the body of the deceased was cremated amid tight security late in the afternoon at the Kishanpura cremation grounds.
A number of agitating supporters and youths thronged the Baldev Nagar residence of the deceased and set out to force closure of shops in the adjoining localities while a post-morterm was being conducted on body at the Civil Hospital. A heavy police force was deployed there in view of the last night’s violence in which supporters of the deceased threw stones causing damage to the hospital building. They also damaged about a dozen vehicles and two to three shops as they ordered the shopkeepers to put up the shutters. The mob then moved towards the city railway station, where it pelted a passenger train with stones causing injuries to the train driver and a half an hour delay in the departure of the train.
Meanwhile, as policemen virtually laid a seize to the localities and the road leading to Devi Talab Mandir and Mai Hiran Gate, the entire old city area presented a deserted look. No vehicle was allowed to proceed towards Devi Talab Mandir and Santokhpura police commandos, who also lathi-charged the mob when it went out of control and damaged some vehicles in the area. The vehicle of Dr Kamla Prasad,
wife of the Deputy Commissioner, was also reportedly stopped by the agitating youth from proceeding towards the Devi Talab hospital where she works as a dentist. About five persons who were allegedly participating in acts of violence, were detained by the police, but they were later let off as the family members and supporters of the deceased threatened that they would not cremate the body unless the detained people were released by the police.
Tension also prevailed around the Kishanpura cremation grounds. The body was cremated amid tight security in the presence of senior government officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, Mr K. Siva Prasad, and the SSP, Mr Paramjit Singh Gill.
The deceased was out on bail in a case relating to an alleged attempt on the life of Mr Balli, while one of his two brothers is still in jail. Jajj and Mr Bali had allegedly attacked each other about two months ago.
The SSP told TNS the situation was under control.
He said the police had arrested Balli and one of his sons, who were detained after the murder of Jajj. The two had been arrested under Section 302 of the IPC after an initial investigation into the case, said the SSP.
