Curfew at Bhikhi lifted

Curfew at Bhikhi lifted
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bhikhi (Mansa), January 5
The curfew at Bhikhi town of Mansa district, which had been continuing since Sunday following a clash between radical Sikhs and the police, was lifted today.
However, the restrictions under Section 144, CrPC, which prohibit assembly of four or more persons, continue.
The decision to lift the curfew was taken during an hour-long meeting of the highly placed civil officials of the district that concluded at about 3.15 pm.
Earlier, the administration gave relaxation of about four hours (6am-10 am) in the curfew and observed that the situation was completely under control.
“Though finding the situation peaceful, we have lifted the curfew, extra force will still remain deployed in the town as a precautionary measure,” said the Mansa SSP, Hardyal Singh Mann.
Immediately after the curfew was lifted, people thronged the markets and within no time the whole market was open.
Meanwhile, the SAD (A) chief, Simranjeet Singh Mann, held a meeting at a gurdwara in Ralla village of the district. During the meeting, he held the Deputy Commissioner and SSP of Mansa district responsible for the incident at Bhikhi on Sunday and demanded their suspension. He also asked the government to award a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to those injured in the clash.
Condemning the “inaction and silence” of the BJP, the Congress, the SGPC and the Sant Samaj, Mann said, “It is quite shocking that the police directly interfered into the religious matters of the Sikhs by disconnecting the public address system at a congregation and later arresting Sant Samaj leader Baba Baljit Singh Daduwal.”
On the other hand, the national executive member of the CPI, Dr Joginder Dayal, and former MLA Hardev Singh Arshi, who is the national council member of the party, also expressed grave concern over the happenings at Bhikhi and claimed that these could have been averted.
“Even after all this, the administration is not taking effective preventive measures to check Daduwal’s next programme to hold a three-day congregation (January 7-9) in Sangrur district, which is a threat to the unity, integrity and communal harmony of the state,” he apprehended.