Login Register
Follow Us

‘Warring’ communities form panel to defuse situation in Phagwara

PHAGWARA: In a bid to defuse tension after violent clashes between two communities in Phagwara, the two sides on Saturday formed a panel and vowed to settle the matter amicably through talks, in the presence of district authorities.

Show comments

Ashok Kaura 
Phagwara, February 9

In a bid to defuse tension after violent clashes between two communities in Phagwara, the two sides on Saturday formed a panel and vowed to settle the matter amicably through talks, in the presence of district authorities.

A 14-member Saanjha Phagwara Parivar Committee comprising seven members from each community was formed in the presence of Kapurthala DC Mohammad Tayab and SSP Satinder Singh. 

When contacted, the SSP confirmed the development and told that the committee will work to maintain peace and harmony in the town.

Earlier, additional police force was deployed in the town after violent clashes broke out between two communities on Friday night even though the markets opened normally in the morning.

The town witnessed a clash between youths of the Balmiki community and Shiv Sena activists in the Baba Gadhia locality on late Friday evening.

The DC and SSP were camping in the town. Phagwara SP Mandeep Singh, ASP Sandeep Malik and DSP Manpreet Dhillon, Gurbhagh Singh were also seen making rounds of the town to monitor the situation.

Over 350 constables, besides six inspectors, were called from Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar and Nawanshahr and deployed at sensitive places in Phagwara, said SSP Satinder Singh.  

Three youths, including Rahul Karwal, nephew of Shiv Sena leader Inderjit Karwal, and two Dalit youths, Nitin Kumar and Punit Kumar, sustained injuries in the clash. They were admitted to the Civil Hospital.

Dalit activists alleged that Shiv Sena activists attacked two Balmiki youths while Sena activists said Dalit activists allegedly attacked a mobile shop of Rahul Karwal in connection with the April 13 Goal Chowk incident.

The Dalit activists pelted stones at the Bolero vehicle of Phagwara DSP Gurbhagh Singh near the city police station. A few Dalit activists pelted stones at a Delhi-bound Punjab Roadways bus near Goal Chowk. A signboard of the city police station was also damaged in stone pelting.

The Dalit activists also staged a dharna and sought arrest of the Sena activists responsible for attacking them. The dharna, which continued for two hours, was lifted after the assurance of SP Mandeep Singh and DSP (Investigation) Manpreet Singh Dhillon around 10 pm last night.

Show comments
Show comments

Top News

Most Read In 24 Hours