Chandigarh police on Saturday (August 15, 2026) used tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse protesters who tried to breach barricades during a march towards Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s residence, seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, including Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence for the assassination of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas and used water cannons to disperse them amid the tense situation. Police also dropped teargas shells on the protesters by deploying a drone. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann was detained by Chandigarh police when he, along with two more persons, was trying to reach the residence of the Punjab Governor. Mr. Mann, who was seen in bandages on his head, reached near a barricade and then sat down. Later police took him away in a vehicle. Tight security arrangements had been put in place at the Chandigarh-Mohali border to prevent the protesters from reaching the Lok Bhavan. Police erected multi-layer barricades topped with barbed wire and deployed anti-riot vehicles and heavy force, including Rapid Action Force personnel. Director General of Police Sagar Preet Hooda, Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav and Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur supervised the security situation.
Police and security personnel use tear gas shells to disperse protesters who tried to breach barricades during a march towards Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria’s residence, seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, including Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence for the assassination of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh in 1995, in Chandigarh, on August 15, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI Later, speaking to reporters, Qaumi Insaf Morcha leaders claimed that police used tear gas shells and water cannons on protesters when they reached near barricades.
Rajoana is a convict in the 1995 assassination of Beant Singh, while Bhullar is serving a sentence in connection with the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case.
