The Himachal Pradesh Police on Wednesday, 11 May, arrested a man from Punjab for allegedly putting up Khalistan flags on the main gate and the walls of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly buiding in Dharamshala on Sunday, HP Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said, reported PTI.
Thakur informed the media that the police had arrested one Harvir Singh from Punjab on Wednesday morning, adding that Singh had confessed to tying the flags and painting pro-Khalistan slogans on the gate and walls of the Assembly complex.
"In a joint operation with Himachal Pradesh Police, one Harvir Singh has been arrested from near a sugar mill here, in connection with writing pro-Khalistan remarks outside (Himachal Pradesh) Vidhan Sabha. He has been taken for further probe," Jaswinder Singh, SHO, Morinda, was quoted as saying by ANI.
"They (Himachal Pradesh Police) have taken Harvir Singh alias Raju for further probe in connection with writing pro-Khalistan remarks outside (Himachal Pradesh) Vidhan Sabha," he added.
Meanwhile, CM Thakur said that the search for a second accused is on and he would be caught soon.
Background
The Himachal Pradesh Police, on Monday, 9 May, booked Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, one of the founders of the banned group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), in a case involving the hoisting of Khalistani flags outside the state Assembly complex in Dharamshala.
Founded in the United States in 2007, SFJ aspires for Punjab's secession from India to establish an "independent and sovereign country" – Khalistan – in the state.
SFJ is banned in India. Pannun serves as the general counsel of SFJ.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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