Stop those who stir communal tensions, says Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: After the killing of a Christian pastor in Ludhiana, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the DGP to order a police crackdown on elements trying to whip up communal passions in the state by indulging in such attacks and to remain on high alert against such forces.

Given the sensitivity of the case in which Pastor Sultan Masih was shot dead by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants, the chief minister has asked the police department to keep close tabs on the situation to prevent any negative fallout. He has also directed the DGP to ask the field officers to coordinate with the local Christian leaders for support in defusing the situation in the aftermath of the killing.

He has told DGP Suresh Arora to ensure that departments of the police and intelligence in the state liaison and coordinate to gather information to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The CM has also suggested coordination between the state and central intelligence agencies to facilitate more concerted and cohesive intelligence gathering to enable better handling of the situation.

He has ordered the DGP to take all possible steps to ensure that necessary preventive and precautionary steps are taken to maintain law and order as well as peace and harmony in the state.

Attempts to vitiate the state’s environment would not be tolerated at any cost, Captain Amarinder said, warning of strict action against any police officer found guilty of dereliction of duty in this regard.

The chief minister pointed out that he had taken up the matter of expediting CBI probe into cases of other targeted killings, including of RSS, Hindu and Shiv Sena leaders, in Punjab since January 2016 with the prime minister. At his meeting with the Prime Minister in Delhi on July 11, Captain Amarinder noted that despite best efforts, the central and state police and intelligence agencies had failed to make a breakthrough into the killings.