One accused arrested in Khalistan flag incident, says CM Jairam Thakur

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Wednesday said that one accused has been arrested in connection with the ‘Khalistan’ flag incident.Thakur said that two accused were involved in putting up the flags on the wall of the state Assembly, out of which one has been nabbed this morning.Speaking to ANI, Thakur said, “I would like to say that in the case where Khalistani flags were tied on the Himachal Pradesh Assembly gate, I am sharing for the first time that there were two accused who had come to carry out the whole incident. One of them has been arrested earlier today.”

Asked about a reported threat issued by a banned outfit stating that the rocket-propelled grenade blast that occurred outside the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali could have taken place outside the Shimla police headquarters as well, the state Chief Minister said that the incidents taking place in the state are “a matter of concern”.”I don’t want to say anything on a threat to me and as far as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is concerned, I don’t take him very seriously, but some incidents are happening which is a matter of concern,” he said.Meanwhile, after ‘Khalistan’ flags were found tied on the Himachal Pradesh Assembly main gate and walls, the state police on Sunday booked banned outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SFJ) general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and called him the ‘main accused’ in the case.”Keeping in view the incidents of Khalistani elements in the neighbouring states and also the incident of tying a Khalistani banner took place in Una district on April 11 and the recent incident of hoisting banners and graffiti of Khalistan on the outer boundary of Vidhan Sabha in Dharamshala as well as the threat posed by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) regarding the announcement of June 6 as the voting date for the Khalistan Referendum in Himachal Pradesh, the DGP-HP has issued directions to the field formations to remain on high alert from today,” said the statement issued by the Himachal Pradesh Police.Soon after the incident came to light, a police official informed that the flags were removed from the gates and walls.Superintendent of Police, Kangra, Khushal Sharma said, “We have removed the Khalistan flags from the Vidhan Sabha gate. It could be an act of some tourists from Punjab.”