KHALISTAN EXTREMISM MONITOR
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
A project of the Institute for Conflict Management
Despite the security alert on the eve of Independence Day, two miscreants managed to reach the terrace of the four-storeyed district administrative complex in Moga on Friday morning and put up a saffron flag with Khalistan written on it, while their accomplice filmed the incident from a distance.
While fleeing, the two men took away the Tricolour on the ground floor and allegedly tore it. On getting information about the incident, police personnel put up a new Tricolour and removed the saffron flag from the roof of the building.
Moga senior superintendent of police Harmanbir Singh Gill said that two youngsters brought along the saffron flag at 8.15am. “It was a normal flag with the Khanda symbol but they had written Khalistan on it with paint.”
Inspector general of police Kaustubh Sharma said, “We have CCTV footage of the accused and will arrest them soon.”
SIKHS FOR JUSTICE RELEASES VIDEO OF INCIDENT
The incident took place days after the banned US-based pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) announced a reward of $1,25,000 (Rs 93 lakh) for anyone who puts up the ‘Khalistan flag’ at Red Fort on Independence Day.
SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu released a video of the Moga incident that shows the two men tearing the Tricolour and escaping with it. At the end of the video, Pannu announced a reward of $2,500 (Rs 1.8 lakh) for anyone raising the ‘Khalistan flag’ at panchayat ghars on Independence Day
“It seems all this was done for money. While fleeing, they took away the National Flag with them. We are trying to recover it,” SSP Gill said.
Deputy commissioner Sandeep Hans said, “This is an act of cowardice. They chose a time when the employees were arriving for duty so no one suspected them. We will take steps to ensure such lapses don’t occur again.”
An eyewitness was taken into custody as police suspect his involvement in the incident.
A case was registered under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act at the city police station in Moga.