A day after a large number of protestors staged a sit-in on NH-44 at Ambala disrupting traffic which the police later removed using force, two FIRs have been registered against 36 men for allegedly damaging public property, attempting to murder and blocking the national highways.
Meanwhile, he also clarified the reported delay in the FIR against Gursimran Singh Mand, the national president of the International Anti-Khalistani Terrorist Front, and said, “Investigators were in the process of gathering all evidence as the protestors had demanded a case against attempted murder. When we had enough evidence through CCTV footage, we immediately lodged the FIR and handed over a copy to the leadership at the protest site. According to the first FIR registered at Panjokhara police station on Friday in which 20 men were booked under provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, National Highway Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), complainant cop Naib Singh said that they were on duty at a nakka near Panjokhara dispensary, when around 200 men started marching from Panjokhara Sahib Gurdwara. The second case was lodged at Baldev Nagar police station under the Arms Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, National Highway Act and 13 sections of the BNS for the sit-in at NH-44 near Jaggi City Center against 16 accused, based on the complaint of ASI Pankaj Kumar from CIA Naraingarh, who was injured in an alleged attack. He said that forces from the India Reserve Battalion (IRB), Haryana Armed Police (HAP) and police, amid the imposition of prohibitory orders issued by Ambala DC under section 163 of the BNSS, saw around 800 men carrying weapons and sticks start gathering near the location around 2 pm. Ambala SP Ajit Singh Shekhwat said that the police demonstrated patience and restraint while clearing NH-44, but attacks on police personnel using lethal weapons will not be tolerated under any circumstances. But since the August 7 attack also included police and CID personnel, action in that case was taken first.”
The SP said that the miscreants not only targeted the police force but also caused extensive damage to public property on the National Highway. He said that the accused smashed police barricades and heavily vandalised eight police vehicles deployed for law-and-order duties.
