Chandigarh: Chandigarh Police have registered four separate FIRs in connection with protests organised by the Quami Insaf Morcha (QIM) and other organisations on August 15, with 23 people arrested and weapons recovered during the police action.
The cases relate to allegations of unlawful assembly, obstruction of police personnel, violation of prohibitory orders, attempts to breach barricades, possession of weapons and damage to public property.
Eight arrested near Punjab Lok Bhawan
The first FIR was registered at Police Station North on August 15 under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, on the complaint of SI Vivek Kumar.
According to police, a large gathering assembled near Punjab Lok Bhawan in Sector 6 during a QIM-led march. Eight people were arrested in the case.
Those arrested were identified as Emaan Singh Mann, Rachhpal Singh, Sant Baba Charanjit Singh, Jatinder Singh, Jasvir Singh, Gurpant Singh, Mandeep Kaur and Rajinder Kaur Sran.
Police said further investigation is underway.
Protesters allegedly tried to breach Mattour barricades
Another FIR, numbered 137 and registered at Police Station Sector 36, relates to an incident at Mattour Barrier on the Sector 51/52 dividing road.
Police alleged that a large group of QIM supporters blocked the road and attempted to break through barricades to enter Chandigarh.
According to the police, some protesters were carrying weapons including swords, axes and spears while raising slogans demanding the release of Sikh detainees.
The case was registered under multiple provisions of the BNS, Arms Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act against several people, including Bapu Gurcharan Singh, Gurdeep Bathinda, Sukhjinder Singh Khosa, Sukh Gill Moga, Pal Singh France, Baba Raja Raj Singh, Gurvinder Singh Bhangu, Surjeet Phool, Bhana Sidhu, Baljit Singh Khalsa, Lakha Sidhana, Amitoz Mann and Navdeep Jalbera.
Simranjit Singh Mann named in third FIR
A third FIR was registered at Police Station North under Sections 217, 223, 353(1)(b) and 3(5) of the BNS and Section 9 of the Punjab Security of State Act.
The case concerns a QIM protest at Heera Singh Chowk, where police alleged that protesters violated prohibitory orders issued by the District Magistrate and obstructed personnel deployed for law-and-order duty.
The FIR names Simranjit Singh Mann, Dpinder Partap Singh, Gopal Singh and Gurpreet Singh as accused.
Police further alleged that Simranjit Singh Mann attempted to evade them by disguising himself as a patient and sitting inside an ambulance.
Four swords recovered from two vehicles
The fourth FIR, registered at Police Station East, Sector 26, concerns two vehicles stopped during patrolling and preventive checking near the Sector 7/8 dividing road.
Police said nine people associated with QIM were found in the two vehicles. During searches, officers allegedly recovered four swords, with two recovered from each vehicle.
The vehicles and weapons were seized as part of the investigation.
The nine arrested persons were identified as Tarun Jain, Harkirat Singh, Fathe Singh, Gurshant Singh, Jaspreet Singh, Harjit Singh, Amandeep Singh, Avtar Singh and Sandeep Kumar, all linked to Ludhiana in Punjab.
Police said investigations in all four cases are continuing.