Police use tear gas, lathi charge to clear six-hour NH-44 blockade in Ambala

Police used tear gas and resorted to a cane charge on Thursday evening to clear protesters blocking the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway in Ambala, restoring traffic after nearly six hours of disruption. Around six police personnel, including a DSP, were injured after a police team was allegedly attacked during the operation to clear NH-44 in Ambala Cantonment, Haryana Police said. The protesters were demanding action against International Anti-Khalistani Terrorist Front (IAKTF) chief Gursimran Singh Mand over allegations that he had attempted to run over some people with his car earlier this month.

Six cops injured

The injured police personnel included DSP Virender Sharma, constables Rakshit and Naveen Kumar, Head Constable Sandeep Kumar and assistant sub-inspectors Satish and Pankaj. Several other personnel were also reported to have suffered injuries during the confrontation, according to police.

Haryana Director General of Police Ajay Singhal later visited the Military and Civil hospitals to meet the injured personnel. Inspector General of Police Pankaj Nain, Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kanika Goyal also visited the hospitals.

Talks fail

Before using force, senior police officials held talks with representatives of the protesters in an attempt to persuade them to vacate the highway. Police said the protesters remained adamant despite negotiations. Some protesters allegedly removed the keys of trucks stranded in the blockade to prevent authorities from moving the vehicles and reopening the highway. With the blockade continuing, traffic on the busy Delhi-Amritsar route was severely affected. Long queues developed and several trucks and other vehicles remained stranded for hours. Police diverted some traffic through alternative routes.

FIR against Mand

Sikh organisations had demanded registration of a case against Mand, alleging that he attempted to run over some people with his car on August 5. Police subsequently registered an FIR against Mand under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

However, the registration of the case failed to end the protest. The groups also demanded that no action be taken against people accused of assaulting Mand during an earlier confrontation. Police said this demand prevented a resolution despite the FIR being lodged.

August 5 clash

The dispute stems from an incident outside Gurdwara Shri Panjokhra Sahib in Ambala on August 5. Mand was allegedly attacked by a mob outside the gurdwara and suffered minor injuries. His vehicle was also damaged during the incident. Sikh groups, however, alleged that Mand had attempted to drive his vehicle into people present there and demanded criminal action against him. On August 8, members of the Sikh community staged a dharna outside Panjokhra police station after two Sikh youths were detained in connection with the alleged assault on Mand. The competing allegations surrounding the August 5 episode subsequently led to Thursday's mobilisation.

Sikh groups gather

Before moving towards NH-44, Sikh representatives from Haryana and Punjab assembled at Gurdwara Sri Panjokhra Sahib near Ambala and held a meeting to press their demands. Representatives of several organisations attended, including Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Jagdish Singh Jhinda, who later joined the highway protest. A large police contingent had been stationed around the gurdwara and barricades were erected as a precaution. The protesters subsequently reached the highway, where they were joined by members of some farmer groups. Sources said some farmers began making preparations to serve food on the highway, indicating that the protesters were preparing for a prolonged blockade.

Tear gas used

With negotiations failing and protesters refusing to leave the highway even after an FIR was registered against Mand, police moved to clear the road. Security personnel lobbed tear gas shells and used force to disperse the crowd. Traffic movement was subsequently restored on NH-44 after around six hours. The blockade had caused extensive disruption on one of north India's busiest highway corridors, which connects Delhi with Punjab and carries heavy passenger and freight traffic. Police said normal movement resumed after protesters were removed from the road, while the injuries suffered by personnel during the clearance operation were being assessed.