Patiala IG, SSP & SP shifted; 3 arrested

Patiala, April 30

A day after the violent clashes in the city, the Punjab Government on Saturday transferred Patiala Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Rakesh Aggarwal, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh, SP (City) and DSP (City). An Inspector and SI posted as SHOs were shifted to the Police Lines. The government posted Mukhwinder Singh Chhina as Patiala IG, Deepak Parikh as SSP and Wazir Singh as Superintendent of Police.

Police Raids on

Barjinder Singh Parwana, who heads the Damdami Taksal Jatha Rajpura, is the brain behind the Friday clash. — Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, New IG

As the city remained peaceful, there was no further extension of curfew. Internet services that were suspended in the morning were restored at 4 pm. An organisation that had given a call for a bandh withdrew the same on the intervention of the administration. After the arrest of Shiv Sena leader Harish Singla, who on Friday led a protest march despite denial of permission by the authorities, the police conducted raids to arrest Sikh hardliners. IG Chinna, at a press conference later in the day, said Barjinder Singh Parwana, president of the Damdami Taksal Jatha Rajpura, was the brain behind the Friday clashes. He said raids were being conducted to nab him and his accomplices. “Six FIRs have already been filed and three persons arrested,” he told the media.

The police have named 24 persons in the FIRs and issued a lookout circular. Parwana had reportedly met the then Patiala SSP a week before the clash and informed him about a possible march against the protest announced by Shiv Sena leader Singla.

Produced in court today, Singla was sent to police remand for two days.