Himachal borders sealed; Pannun booked over Khalistani flags exterior meeting

By PTI

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh Police booked Sikhs for Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun underneath anti-terror regulation UAPA and “sealed” the state’s borders after Khalistsni flags had been put up on the gates of the state meeting complicated in Dharamshala on Sunday.

Himachal Pradesh police chief Sanjay Kundu additionally ordered the sealing of the state’s border and beefing up of the state-wide safety, citing “pro-Khalistan activities” within the state and the banned outfit’s announcement of a Khalistan “referendum day” on June 6.

The “sealing” of the border implies strict checks on autos and other people getting into the hilly state, police mentioned.

HP Director General of Police Kundu mentioned Pannun has been booked as the principle accused underneath part 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sections 153 A and 153 B of the India Penal Code, moreover part 3 of the HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985.

While part 13 of the UAPA pertains to the offence of inciting or abetting terror acts, sections 153 A and 153 B of the IPC cope with the offences of selling communal or sectarian divides and animosity.

Kundu mentioned the FIR towards Pannun and others was lodged on the grievance of Ram Chand alias Ajay Kumar of Kaned village underneath Dharamshala tehsil of the Kangra district.

In an announcement right here on Sunday night, the DGP mentioned, “Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel to Sikhs for Justice has been made the main accused in the case.”

The case was lodged at Dharamshala police station, he added The HP DGP additionally arrange a seven-member Special Investigation Team to expeditiously examine the case involving the placing up of Khalistani banners and scrawling of pro-Khalistan slogans and graffiti over the outer partitions close to the principle gate of the Himachal legislative meeting complicated Tapovan in Dharamshala.

The members of the SIT are Kangra’s Additional Superintendent of Police Puneet Raghu, Jawalaji’s Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chander Paul, Mandi’s Deputy SP (CID) Sushant Sharma, Jawali SDPO Sidharath Sharma, moreover the Dharamshala police station’s SHO and the Yol police publish in-charge, the DGP mentioned in his assertion.

The SIT has been directed to take up the investigation of the case instantly and perform an expert and neutral investigation to make sure transparency, the HP police chief mentioned.

“The SIT has also been directed to contact with the state and central intelligence agencies to unearth the inter-state and international linkages if any,” he added.

Kundu additionally ordered to “seal” the state’s border and beef up safety at crowded and delicate locations in Himachal Pradesh.

The HP DGP additionally requested the varied area formations of the HP Police to stay on excessive alert in view of the incidents of Khalistani parts within the neighbouring states and likewise that of the placing up of a Khalistani banner within the Una district on April 11.

His instructions adopted “also in view of the incident of hoisting banners and graffiti of Khalistan on the outer boundary of Vidhan Sabha in Dharamshala as well as the threat posed by SJF’s announcement of June 6 as the voting date for Khalistan Referendum in Himachal Pradesh”.

Additional DGP-CID, vary IGs and DIGs and district police chiefs too have been directed “to seal all interstate borders/boundaries and maintain a strict vigil on the locations of possible hideouts i.e. inns and inns of prison parts, he mentioned.

“They have been directed to keep the special security units (SSUs), bomb disposal squads and quick reactions teams (QRTs) in position and on high alert and strengthen the security of dams, railway stations, bus stands, towns, government buildings and vital installations,” mentioned Kundu.

The HP police chief additionally directed varied area formations to sensitise all the safety employees/chowkidars of presidency buildings, banks, PSUs in regards to the risk and to advise them to report any matter of concern to the native police station instantly.

Pannun had earlier additionally referred to as for hoisting the Khalistani flag in Shimla on April 29.