Law And Order Is Punjab Heading Towards Anarchy

The Rising Panjab Bureau

A spate of killings in Punjab in recent days have alarmed the general public and led to an outcry in Opposition parties who want the AAP-government headed by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to wake up and control the situation before it deteriorates any further.

Two killings in one week although in different cities and unrelated to each other have led to questions being raised about the efficacy of law enforcement agencies. The assassination of a Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader in Amritsar and the killing of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower in Kotkapura have shaken Punjab.

In the latest incident, Dera Sacha Sauda follower Pardeep Singh, who was accused in the 2015 blasphemy cases, was shot dead by five unidentified assailants in Faridkot’s Kotkapura district on Thursday. On November 4, Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri was shot dead by a clothing shop owner when he was protesting outside a temple in Amritsar.

Both Singh and Suri were killed in the presence of Punjab Police constables who were associated with them keeping in view the threat perception. While Suri had 16 armed men to protect him, Singh was given three armed guards.

This is the fifth such incident in the eight months of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government that has raised questions about the handling of law and order in the state. The mishandling of the clash between Sikh radicals and right-wing activists in Patiala, the RPG attack on the Punjab police intelligence headquarters in Mohali, the killing of singer Sidhu Moose Wala and the failure of the state police to nab accused gangsters have repeatedly given opposition parties political ammunition to target the government.

The Punjab Police recently faced criticism after the chief of crime investigation agency, Mansa, Pritpal Singh helped gangster Deepak Tinu, a key accused in the Moose Wala murder case, to escape from police custody. Later, Tinu, like most of the other gangsters involved in Moose Wala’s murder, was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell.

Opposition parties in Punjab have hit out at the AAP government over the killing of a Dera follower saying that the state has become the “terror capital” of the country with a reign of “anarchy.”

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring expressed concern over the “alarmingly deteriorating” law and order situation in the state, alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party government had “completely abdicated its authority.” “As the AAP government remains completely clueless, there is total anarchy prevailing in Punjab”, Warring said in a statement. 

“People have started taking law into their own hands which is a dangerous signal for the state,” he said, adding this was the second “targeted killing” in Punjab within less than a week.  “No killing is justified and nobody should be allowed to take law into his own hands,” he said. He appealed to people to maintain peace saying violence was no solution to any problem. Warring also reminded AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal of his promise of doing justice in the sacrilege cases within 24 hours of forming the government. 

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh alleged that Punjab has become a “terror capital” of the country where “gun culture is booming and police has become a mute witness.” He said the law and order machinery had “completely collapsed” in the state.

“Murders and killings are happening every other day and criminals are not being apprehended at all,” he alleged in a statement. Chugh said police stand “paralysed” and there is an “atmosphere of fear and terror” in the state.

Former Punjab chief minister and BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh alleged that the state is “heading towards total lawlessness.”

“Daily murders, Daylight Firing, Pb is sadly heading towards total lawlessness & the inexperienced @BhagwantMann led govt has been able to do nothing to stop all this. I strongly urge him to start focusing on law & order of state before we transcend towards the dark era of the 80s,” Singh tweeted.

Senior BJP leader Sunil Jakhar accused the Bhagwant Mann government of “abandoning the state altogether and plunging law and order situation to a worrisome level.” “Punjab is burning, while Nero is fiddling in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh,” Jakhar said.

He also said that Mann, who also holds the charge of CM as well as the state Home Minister, has been in denial mode despite daily incidents of target killings happening.

Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma said the state government is in a “deep slumber.” “One more murder… Every day incidents of violence are happening in Punjab… Bhagwant Mannji, understand your constitutional duty and turn your attention towards Punjab,” he said.

Given the frequency and number of crimes taking place in the State, need of the hour is to take a realistic stock of the deteriorating situation and revamp the State Police, if need be, to instill the fear of law in the minds of criminals without losing more time.  At the same time, murders of police protected persons is an extremely worrying sign and cannot be taken lightly.  Accountability should be fixed to make the police uncompromising in discharging their duties.  

Punjab being a border state with Pakistan always trying to create one or the other trouble, any laxity in controlling the situation would cost dear.