Situation under control: Police

Our Correspondent

Tarn Taran, March 19

After Saturday’s incidents related to the hide-and-seek game between the Punjab Police and Amritpal Singh, chief of ‘Waris Punjab De’, a deceptive calm appeared to prevail in the district. The police had to face a tough time on Sunday at several places where the people tried to expressed their solidarity with Amritpal Singh on Sunday.

The connectivity of Tarn Taran with Ferozepur district was disrupted as the followers of Amritpal Singh sat on Bengali Bridge on the Sutlej river near Sabhra village. However, the flow of traffic from Harike bridge was routine.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan said a flag march was jointly organised by the Punjab Police and BSF in Tarn Taran town and other rural and urban areas of the district on Sunday. The SSP said that raids were conducted to nab some persons who were ‘wanted’ by the police. The raids would continue, he said.

Activists of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, staged a dharna in front of the Doburji police post near Tarn Taran on Sunday against the detaining of Gurmeet Singh Jauhal, a resident of Jauhal Raju Singh, on the ground of being a follower of Amritpal Singh. Manjinder Singh Gohalwar, zonal president of the KMSC who led the protesters, said Gurmeet Singh is the leader of the kisan organisation and had nothing to do with Amritpal Singh. The police had to release Gurmeet Singh Jauhal and he was handed over to the leaders of the KMSC. The dharna was subsequently lifted.

The supporters of Amritpal Singh led by Jugraj Singh, a resident of Wan Tara Singh, marched to the border town of Bhikhiwind in solidarity with Amritpal Singh. Jugraj Singh had unfurled the Kesri Nishan flag atop the Lal Quila on January 26, 2021, when the farmers had organised a march.

The SSP said that at some other places, activists who appeared to be the sympathisers of Amritpal Singh tried to protest at Fatehbad, Goindwal Sahib and other places but they were persuaded to hold a peaceful march, to which they agreed.

SSP Chauhan claimed that the situation in the district was peaceful and under control.