On November 29, three individuals from Punjab were apprehended for reportedly inscribing pro-Khalistan slogans in the vicinity of the Mata Chintpurni temple in Una district, Himachal Pradesh. The Una Superintendent of Police confirmed that the suspects, identified as Phool Chand (26), Arjinder Singh (28), and Harry (21), were arrested from Dhesia and Surja villages in Jalandhar district, Punjab. They were taken into custody for writing slogans such as ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ and ‘Himachal Banega Khalistan’ on the temple walls and subsequently brought to the Chintpurni police station.
The police revealed that one of the accused had received Rs 25,000 from abroad in his account, with a promise of an additional Rs 25,000 upon completing the task. The other two individuals were accompanying the main suspect during the incident. Further investigations are underway to delve into the details of the case.
The arrest was prompted by a video featuring Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the leader of the banned organization ‘Sikh for Justice.’ In the viral video, Pannu showcased the slogans written on the walls and advocated for the punishment of Congress leaders allegedly implicated in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The charges against the three individuals include violations under sections 153-A and 153-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Open Space (Prevention of Defacement) Act, 1985. Moreover, based on the video evidence, Pannu was implicated as a co-accused and a key conspirator in the case, leading to the registration of a case against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
