3 students arrested for blackening CM Bhagwant Mann’s picture at Khatkar Kalan Mohalla Clinic

Tribune News Service

Aparna Banerji

Jalandhar, March 28

A day after the picture of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was blackened at the Mohalla Clinic in Khatkar Kalan, Nawanshahr police today arrested three members of the Punjab Students Union. The students had put black colour on CM’s photo to protest against removal of Bhagat Singh's pictures from the clinic.

An FIR was lodged against three students by name and 5-7 unidentified persons under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC and Section 3 of the Punjab Prevention of Property Defacement Ordinance Act, at the Sadar Banga police station.

The three arrested students are Baljit Singh Dharamkot, Kamaljit Singh Mallupota and Raju Barnala.

While Baljit Singh was arrested from outside his college, Kamaljit Singh and Raju were apprehended from their homes.

SSP, SBS Nagar (Nawanshahr), Bhagirath Singh Meena confirmed the arrests.

Banga DSP Sarwan Singh Ball said, “The students obstructed ongoing construction work at the Mohalla Clinic. Bhagat Singh pictures had been taken off due to work and were to be put up again but these students took law into their own hands.”

Meanwhile, the Punjab Students Union have condemned the arrests.

Punjab Student Union state press secretary Mangaljit Pandori said, “The students were picked up this afternoon. Baljit was at his college at Balachaur and Kamaljit was at his home. I received a message from one of them that police had come. Since then, we haven't been able to contact them. Their numbers are currently switched off."

Union state president Ranjit Singh Randhawa said, "The students merely objected to removal of Bhagat Singh's pictures by a government which took oath and promised good governance in the name of Bhagat Singh. The government is in turn suppressing their dissent with arrests."

Arrested students released

Meanwhile in the evening, Nawanshahr police released the three arrested students on a personal bond.   

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