Lagatar24 Desk
Patiala, April 29: Tensions erupted in Punjab’s Patiala town on Friday as Shiv Sena and pro-Khalistani protestors clashed, throwing stones and wielding swords. The incident forced police to open fire in the air to calm the scene near the local Kali Devi Temple.
#WATCH | Punjab: A clash broke out between two groups near Kali Devi Mandir in Patiala today.
Police personnel deployed at the spot to maintain law and order situation. pic.twitter.com/yZv2vfAiT6
— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2022
This began when a large number of hardline Sikhs turned out to oppose the Shiv Sena’s Khalistan Murdabad March (Bal Thackeray).
The anti-separatist march was led by Harish Singla, the Punjab unit executive president of the right-wing group. It began from Patiala’s Arya Samaj Chowk and ended at Kali Devi Temple. “The Shiv Sena will never allow Khalistan to be founded in Punjab or anyplace in India,” Singla stated amid the chanting.
He further claimed that Gurpatwant Pannu, the chairman of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice, had led demands to commemorate Khalistan’s founding day on April 29.
To protest Pannu’s call, the Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) organised a march. At the same time, a significant number of supporters of Khalistan arrived on the scene, and both sides started throwing stones at each other.
Bhagwant Mann, the state’s chief minister, tweeted that the situation was being constantly monitored and that the violence was “very sad.”
“The incident of clashes in Patiala are deeply unfortunate. I spoke with the DGP, peace has been restored in the area. We are closely monitoring the situation and will not let anyone create disturbance in the State. Punjab’s peace and harmony is of utmost importance,” he tweeted.
The incident of clashes in Patiala are deeply unfortunate. I spoke with the DGP, peace has been restored in the area. We are closely monitoring the situation and will not let anyone create disturbance in the State. Punjab’s peace and harmony is of utmost importance.
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) April 29, 2022
