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 Chief Minister said the government is fully sensitive towards checking cross-border infiltration in Punjab. He said Punjab Police is constantly in touch with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other agencies for this purpose.
While briefing the officers, the DGP said the topmost priority of the government, as directed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is to further strengthen the fight against drugs to make Punjab a drug-free state, besides eliminating the gangster culture, maintaining law and order, and detection of crime.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased, whereas Rs 15,000 as immediate relief for the injured. He said free treatment would be provided to the injured.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday carried out his first Cabinet expansion by inducting five legislators, including second-time MLA Aman Arora, into his council of ministers. The expansion came in less than four months of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sweeping to victory in the Assembly elections by winning 92 seats of the 117 seats.
The police have so far managed to nab four of the accused, including one woman, who have been identified as Gurjant Singh (31), Navjot Singh (30), Satpal Singh (28) and Gurpreet Kaur (30).
The ambidextrous sharpshooter, identified as Ankit alias Chhota, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana, was most desperate to commit the crime."He fired simultaneously from two pistols in his two hands," H.G.S. Dhaliwal, Special Commissioner (Special Cell), said during a media briefing.
