Punjab seeks Central forces to tackle Ludhiana situation

The security personnel conducted a flag march in the affected areas of the town,he said.

Chief Minister’s media advisor H S Bains,who was also present,said,”We are committed to maintain peace in the state. We will take all political,administrative and social steps”.

Though Gill did not state by when the paramilitary forces were expected to arrive in Ludhiana,police sources said they were pursuing the matter with the Union Home Ministry so that they arrive at the earliest.

Mobs of migrant labourers stoned vehicles,damaged vehicles and property,including setting nine vehicles on fire and threw stones at police personnel who burst tear gas shells at some places.

The DGP said the violence erupted after a labourer Sube Lal,who had been robbed of cash during the day was not heard by police at Dhandari Kalan Police Post where he had gone to report the incident at about 9 pm on Thursday night.

“He was not heard as the policemen,including the Station House Officer (SHO) were busy in some other duty,” Gill said without giving any explanation as to whey there was not a single cop to listen to the aggrieved labourer.

The DGP said in all 23 vehicles were damaged after labourers went on rampage on Delhi-Ludhiana-Jalandhar GT Road late on Thursday night and early Friday morning.

Indefinite curfew has been imposed in five police stations of Division No 5,6 and 7,Focal Point and Shimlapuri to restore peace in the town,he said adding the rail and road traffic through the industrial town has been restored.

Fifteen police men were injured in the violence,the DGP said adding a case has been registered against unidentified miscreants in connection with the arson and violence.

He said police from neighbouring districts has been summoned to Ludhiana where the Additional DGP (Law and Order) was camping to monitor the situation in the town where eight companies of Punjab Armed Police (PAP) have been deployed.

Gill denied that the labourers robbed of their cash and other valuables were not being heard by the police since past few months. “No such case has to come to our notice,” he said.

At this moment Bains intervened to say that the government would probe this issue. “We will fully investigate the entire issue,” Bains said appealing to the media to help the government in maintaining peace in the state.