Punjab CM acts tough on Kotkapura killing incident, directs police to nab culprits
Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Nov, 2022 11:19 AM
Chandigarh, Nov 10 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said that the state government will not allow any anti-social element to disturb the hard-earned peace and communal harmony of the state at any cost.
While chairing a high-level meeting with senior officers of the state administration and Punjab police, the Chief Minister directed senior police officers that none of the culprits responsible for the killing of Dera follower should be spared and the accused must be given stern punishment as per law.
During the meeting, the police officers briefed the Chief Minister about the incident.
Dera Sacha Sauda follower, Pradeep Singh, was shot dead by five unidentified men in Punjab's Kotkapura town on Thursday.
The Chief Minister said that this sensitive matter should be thoroughly being investigated by the police from every aspect and the case will be taken to a legal conclusion without any bias.
He asserted that no criminal incident can be viewed with the narrow aspect of caste or religion and the perpetrators of this crime will not be spared at any cost.
Mann said, "These unfortunate incidents are being carried out with nefarious designs to dent the strong bonds of our decade-old brotherhood, communal harmony, mutual love and unity."
The Chief Minister said the state government is firmly committed to maintaining a law and order situation in Punjab and no one will be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace at any cost.
He said that these forces will be given a befitting reply. During the meeting, the Chief Minister also ordered the officers to conduct a review of licensed firearms across the state to find out the use of firearms in such criminal activities.
To further strengthen the law and order situation, the Chief Minister directed the officers to train the police force on modern lines to make them more competent to deal with criminals.
Expressing confidence in the efficiency of the police, Mann said the police force of the state has a glorious tradition of combating the fissiparous forces, adding that it had bravely combated the dark period of terrorism.
He also said the police had solved many sensitive cases in the past through their professional intelligence and competence.
The Chief Minister asked the police to enhance vigil across the state by organising special checking.
He said that no one should be allowed to disturb law and order in the state. Mann further said that the police force will deal sternly with those who are attempting to disturb the peaceful environment of the state.
Mann said the 254-km long Delhi-Katra highway will be constructed at a cost Rs 11,510 crore and will pass through nine districts of the state -- Jalandhar, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Patiala, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.
In a status report before Justice Anoop Chitkara's Bench, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sukhnaaz Singh said in view of the facts and circumstances, it is evident that there is sufficient prima facie evidence on record which reveals that the petitioner is the main conspirator, who hatched conspiracy with Gaurav Patial (accused) for eliminating Middukhera.
In January 2019, a special CBI court in Panchkula also sentenced Rahim and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati over 16 years ago. His conviction on August 25, 2017 had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured.
According to customs officials, "The gold was in the form of a paste which was wrapped in black tape in two packets. The total weight of the packets was 433 grams. After removing the tape and other impurities from gold, it weighs 397 grams."
The two accused -- Ankit Sersa and Sachin Chaudhary had been in the custody of the Delhi Police in an arms case. Chief metropolitan magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria granted their transit remand to the Mansa Police SIT team that is probing the murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala.
Mann said most of the time they had to run pillar to post for getting their work done. The Chief Minister said this dedicated cell will be a single-window platform for the persons with disabilities to avail the benefits of these schemes.
