Punjab Resident Arrested 3 Days After Khalistani Flags, Slogans Found at Entrance of HP Assembly

Three days after Khalistani flags were found tied to the main gate of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly complex, the state police on Wednesday arrested a Punjab resident in connection with the incident.

While Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur announced that one of the two people allegedly involved had been arrested, police sources told News18 that one Harbir Singh, a resident of Morinda, has been arrested.

The Himachal Pradesh Police had identified Harbir Singh and Paramjit Singh as accused in the case. Police raided the Morinda area of Ropar on Wednesday morning and arrested Harbir Singh. A police team also raided the house of one Paramjit Singh in Rurki Heeran village in Chamkaur Sahib area of Ropar, but failed to make an arrest as the suspect had allegedly fled.

Along with the flags, pro-Khalistan slogans had also been found scrawled on the walls of the Assembly complex in Dharamshala, where the Winter Session of the Assembly is held.

Condemning the incident that came to light on the morning of May 8, CM Jairam Thakur had said:

?I condemn the cowardly incident of raising Khalistan flags at the gate of Dharamshala Assembly Complex in the dark of night. Only the Winter Session of the Assembly is held there, and hence require tighter security arrangements during that time only,? he had tweeted.

Following the incident, Himachal Pradesh police booked US-based Sikhs For Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun under anti-terror law UAPA and other penal offences.

Himachal Pradesh police chief Sanjay Kundu had said that Pannun has been booked as the main accused under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sections 153 A and 153 B of the India Penal Code, besides section 3 of the HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985.

While section 13 of the UAPA pertains to the offence of inciting or abetting terror acts, sections 153 A and 153 B of the IPC deal with the offences of promoting communal or sectarian divides and animosity. Kundu said the FIR against Pannun and others was lodged on the complaint of Ram Chand alias Ajay Kumar of Kaned village under Dharamshala tehsil of the Kangra district.

Amid some pro-Khalistan activities in parts of Himachal and other neighbouring states and the announcement of June 6 as Khalistan referendum day, the state police chief had also ordered the sealing of the border and beefing up state-wide security at sensitive and crowded places.

The SJF has announced June 6 as the voting date for Khalistan Referendum in Himachal Pradesh.

“I won?t comment much on such things. As far as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is concerned, I don?t take him very seriously, though some incidents are happening that are a matter of concern,” news agency ANI quoted Jairam Thakur as saying on Wednesday.

With agency inputs

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