Patiala Clash: Punjab Govt to nail 'erring' police personnel

Aman Sood

Patiala, May 2

The Punjab Government has decided to “fix responsibility of erring cops”, after a thorough probe by a senior officer, for the violence between two groups that left four persons injured on April 29. Senior officials confirmed an ADGP-level officer will probe the role of on-field officers who failed to tackle the situation, despite being informed well in advance about the agitation and the likely face-off.

Purported lapses by men in khaki

• Cops failed to erect barricading near 21 Number Flyover to stop agitators advancing towards temple, said sources
• Officer near Khanda Chowk failed to inform seniors about armed men moving to attack the other group
• There was no barricading at entry points to temple and a handful of cops were deputed outside
• Most cops were without protective shields against stone pelting or even batons to disperse agitators.

A senior officer, privy to the development, said the DGP and ADGP (Intelligence) had already visited Patiala to gather the first-hand information. “Today, the ADGP concerned visited Patiala and held a closed-door meeting with senior officers to probe any laxity, if any. The CM will soon comment on the issue. An ADGP-level officer will soon submit a report,” he said.

No report sought yet

I haven’t been asked to send report. All I know is a probe was ordered by the government and I will submit my report when asked. Mukhwinder Singh Chinna, Patiala IG

Sources in the government said three DSPs, two SP-level officers and SHOs concerned manning various points in the city and responsible for avoiding any confrontation were yet to face any punitive action for laxity.

“A detailed probe will ascertain their role. They failed to erect barricading or depute enough cops near 21 Number Flyover to stop 200 plus agitators who advanced towards the temple. Another officer deputed near Khanda Chowk failed to inform the seniors about the fact that there were men armed with swords who were likely to attack the other group taking out a march in the heart of the city,” a source said.

“After the PM’s security breach in January, this is a second major mismanagement on part of erring cops. A majority of the cops on duty were without any protective shields against stone pelting and even batons to disperse agitators,” said a senior IPS officer. “Even worse, agitators were seen dancing as some policemen fired into the air to disperse the mob. Usually, firing into the air is resorted to from a distance to scare the mob,” said an officer. Paramjit Singh Gill, a former IG who had served majority of his tenure in terrorism-hit districts, said the Friday incident was an eye-opener for the police and showed basic training was missing among on-field officials. “Videos suggest a majority of cops were ill-equipped and were running for cover when the stone throwing started,” said Gill.

The state government had shifted the IG, SSP and the SP (City) following the incident, but was yet to fix responsibility of the other SPs and DSPs on the spot who failed to tackle the agitators and allowed them a safe passage to Kali Mata Temple.

“There was no barricading at the entry points to the temple and a handful of cops were deputed outside, leading to the face-off and subsequent firing,” said a police officer, who said senior cops had been briefed about the incident.

Alleged lapses on part of the local police in tackling protesters in Patiala on Friday led to gunshots being fired after stone throwing and a face-off between members of a group that calls itself Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) and pro-Khalistan activists. The DGP could not be reached for comment.