Punjab will be soon free of gangsters: Bhagwant Mann
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Jul, 2022 12:23 PM
Chandigarh, July 21 (IANS) Complimenting the Punjab Police and the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) for successfully carrying out an operation to gun down two sharpshooters involved in the killing of famed Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Thursday that the state will soon be free of gangsters and drug peddlers.
"It is my guarantee to the people of the state that we will not allow anyone to disturb the hard-earned peace in Punjab, and every effort will be made to maintain peace and communal harmony in the state by making it free of gangsters and drug peddlers," the Chief Minister said.
During a meeting with Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav and other officers, who called on him at his official residence here, Mann said that gangsters and drug peddlers were patronised by the previous governments.
He said under the protection of Akalis and Congress, gangsters and drug peddlers had a free run in the state because their masters used them for their own vested political interests.
However, Mann said that after assuming charge, his government accorded top priority to free Punjab of gangsters and drug smugglers, adding that the day is not far when all of them will be behind the bars.
The Chief Minister said the action of Punjab Police on Wednesday to eliminate two sharpshooters involved in the killing of Moosewala was in consonance with the zero-tolerance policy of the government against gangsters and anti-social elements.
Mann said the AGTF had identified the sharpshooters after which the police zeroed down on the abandoned building in Amritsar district where they were hiding, adding that the Punjab Police carried out the operation in a highly professional manner by displaying exemplary courage.
During the meeting, the DGP and AGTF head Pramod Ban apprised the Chief Minister about the entire operation.
Padma Shri Sahney made this announcement before taking oath of office in Parliament. Before the oath, he took part in 'kirtan' and 'ardaas' organised at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib here. On the occasion, Sahney announced that he will donate all his and staff salary of his tenure for the education of economically weaker students.
Mann said the 254-km long Delhi-Katra highway will be constructed at a cost Rs 11,510 crore and will pass through nine districts of the state -- Jalandhar, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Patiala, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.
In a status report before Justice Anoop Chitkara's Bench, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sukhnaaz Singh said in view of the facts and circumstances, it is evident that there is sufficient prima facie evidence on record which reveals that the petitioner is the main conspirator, who hatched conspiracy with Gaurav Patial (accused) for eliminating Middukhera.
In January 2019, a special CBI court in Panchkula also sentenced Rahim and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati over 16 years ago. His conviction on August 25, 2017 had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured.
According to customs officials, "The gold was in the form of a paste which was wrapped in black tape in two packets. The total weight of the packets was 433 grams. After removing the tape and other impurities from gold, it weighs 397 grams."
The two accused -- Ankit Sersa and Sachin Chaudhary had been in the custody of the Delhi Police in an arms case. Chief metropolitan magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria granted their transit remand to the Mansa Police SIT team that is probing the murder of Punjabi singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala.
