Punjab tourists ransack shops, houses in Himachal's Manikaran
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Mar, 2023 01:41 PM
Shimla, March 6 (IANS) At least 30 tourists, mainly from Punjab, on Monday ransacked shops and houses in Himachal Pradesh's Manikaran in Kullu district, famed for a Sikh shrine, police said.
The cause of the provocation is yet to be ascertained, an official told IANS, adding the situation is under control.
Videos of the ruckus were viral on the social media. Many parked vehicles and a nearby police station was pelted on with stones.
Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu spoke to his Punjab counterpart Gaurav Yadav and apprised him about the sistation.
"This is regarding Manikaran incident of last night and early morning. Do not fall prey to fake news and rumour mongering. The DGP-HP Sanjay Kundu has spoken to DGP Punjab Sh. Gaurav Yadav," an official statement by the Himachal DGP said in a statement.
"All tourists and pilgrims are welcome to Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Police assures of hassle-free visits to all tourists and pilgrims," he added.
The Manikaran shrine, located in the Parvati Valley along the banks of the Parvati river, is some 50 km from the Kullu district headquarters and 250 from state capital Shimla.
The area is also known for its hot springs of water with high sulphur concentration.
The NIA arrested Md. Shahbaz Ansari alias Shezad in the case pertaining to a conspiracy hatched by members of criminal syndicate based in India and abroad, to raise funds and recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the different parts of the country.
Poonawalla, who killed his live-in partner Shraddha on May 18 and then chopped her body into 35 pieces, is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. On November 26, he was sent to a 13-day judicial custody by the court.
Reacting to the BJP registering a historic victory in Gujarat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that Gujarat had rejected those who engaged in the politics of empty promises and appeasement. Shah said that he salutes the people of Gujarat for the historic win.
Stressing on the need to sensitise the common man against the illicit liquor trade for realising the Rangla Punjab mission of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government, Kaler said the Excise Department and the excise police would soon launch an awareness campaign against it.
The drama took place during Question Hour, when BJP MP from Balaghat, Dhal Singh Bisen sought to know from Puri, the quantum of loss faced by the government as several Ujjwala beneficiaries have failed to get a second refill of their cylinders and whether the government will increase the subsidy amount to ensure refill of Ujjwala cylinders.
An NIA official said that Bikramajit had formed a terror group to carry out terror attacks in Punjab along with with his close associates. He was absconding in a terror case lodged by the NIA.
