Ravi Dhaliwal, Tribune News Service
Gurdaspur, 29 March 2012. Curfew was imposed in the town following the death of a youth, identified as Jaspal Singh (18) of Chour Sidhwan village, in police firing this afternoon. Jaspal was killed when the police opened fire to prevent a communal clash on the busy Tibri Road area in the heart of the city.
Another youth, identified as Ranjit Singh (20) of Pandher village, was seriously injured and referred to the Civil Hospital, Amritsar, by doctors at the Gurdaspur Civil Hospital. The Chief Minister has ordered a probe by SDM Tejinder Pal Singh Sandhu.
The police was on its toes since late last evening when members of radical organisations held a meeting at Geeta meeting at Geeta Bhawan Temple to “condemn the manner in which some youths had brandished sharp-edged weapons during the bandh on Wednesday in protest against the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana.” After the meeting, the Shiv Sena gave a bandh call for Thursday.
As members of radical groups took to the streets brandishing arms, the authorities decided to impose a curfew after a high-level meeting, said Varinder Pal Singh, SSP.
There was tension in the air since late last evening when the police booked Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray) chief Harvinder Soni for allegedly damaging motorcycles.
