Nihangs Attack Cops In Punjab; Incident Caught On Tape, 40 Cops Injured So Far

Several members of a certain Sikh organisation under the banner name 'Qaumi Insaaf Morcha' injured around 40 cops as they clashed with the police at the Chandigarh-Mohali border in Punjab on Wednesday, raising questions of law and order. Notably, the organisation's members were protesting for the release of Sikh prisoners who they claim are lodged in different prisons across the country despite having completed their sentences. 

The videos of the incident show how the protesters including Nihangs attacked Chandigarh police with swords and sticks. The protestors were also seen in a scuffle with police, brandishing swords as they tried to break the barricades to enter Chandigarh. 

Notably, police had put up barricades near the Chandigarh-Mohali border to prevent the protesters who have been protesting for more than a month, from moving towards Punjab CM Mann’s residence. However, violent clashes broke out between police and protesters wherein several cops were injured and vehicles were vandalised.

#BREAKING | Clashes at Mohali Chandigarh border; Nihangs attacking cops caught on tape.

Tune in to watch here - https://t.co/HbKDYgaNDs pic.twitter.com/WxkDFyGuOb

— Republic (@republic) February 9, 2023

Clashes at Mohali-Chandigarh border 

Speaking about the incident, DGP Chandigarh Praveen Ranjan on Wednesday said, "Today, at around 12-1 PM, some thousands of people came near to the barricades at the border. At first, they talked with our police personnel who were stationed there, but then they suddenly became aggressive and tried to break the barricades. The police tried to explain to them and even warn them." The official said several protesters, including Nihangs on horses, were carrying dangerous weapons, including swords, iron rods and sticks.

"They were carrying weapons. They had sticks, swords, iron rods and other dangerous weapons with them. When the police tried to stop them, they attacked the police. Many police personnel were injured in this attack. They broke the barricades and we reacted with a water cannon and tried to stop them," he added. The police officer asserted that an FIR will be lodged against those involved in the incident and that injured cops have been hospitalised.

DGP Ranjan said as section 144 of the CrPC was imposed in Chandigarh, police did not allow the protesters to hold any protests in the city. 

Speaking to Republic, Punjab BJP vice president Harjeet Singh Grewal called the incident unfortunate. " The Punjab government is proving to be a weak government and it is unable to maintain law and order. Incidents can happen, but safety has to be provided. The Punjab movement is unable to provide safety to the people. They are also pulling the police’s morale down. The Punjab police is a brave force who had done a great job fighting terror. But today, because of the government's wrong policies, the police are proving weak. And this is wrong."

(With inputs from PTI)