56 Ambedkar statues under CCTV vigil in rural Jalandhar
The 56 statues of Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar in the rural areas of Jalandhar – and others across the periphery in Doaba – have been placed under strict surveillance in light of the threat issued on March 31 by secessionist group SFJ on the morning of the vandalisation of the Ambedkar statue at Nangal village in Phillaur.
Notably, in a video released on the day of the Philaur statue vandalism incident, Pannu, while addressing Dr Ambedkar in unsavoury terms, claimed responsibility for the incident and called for the removal of Ambedkar’s statues across Punjab before his birth anniversary on April 14. Pannu stated during a widely circulated message on social media (released by SFJ), “Ambedkar’s statues must fall in Punjab. A man who branded Sikhs as Hindus — directly contributing to the conditions that led to the 1984 Sikh genocide — cannot be honoured on Sikh soil.”
The DIG (Jalandhar range) Naveen Singla on Friday said all these statues and memorials would be placed under CCTV surveillance. Besides, patrol teams, PCRs, night patrol teams and nakas will keep an eye on any untoward activity. Also, many panchayats are being involved to maintain a night vigil in the villages and through fares where prominent Ambedkar statues and memorials have been erected.
While Ambedkar is an idol and icon of Dalit emancipation in the region – with an illustrious legacy of his followers and advocates in Jalandhar and Daoba – the police is especially concentrating surveillance on strongholds like Phillaur, Nakodar and Shahkot.
For night policing alone, 250 personnel are active in every district, as many as 700 personnel will stay active across the Jalandhar Range. Six-seven GOs (gazetted officers) will be active in the range with two per district, the police said.
DIG, Jalandhar Range, Naveen Singla, said, “All these 56 points will be covered by CCTV surveillance, and some statues will also get glass covers. Apart from the police surveillance through PCRs and patrol teams, panchayats will act as force multipliers through community presence and ‘pehras’. The arrest of the two men is a major development as they were active for the recent incidents in the region. In future too, no untoward activity will be allowed.”
Two arrested for Phillaur incident
The police have arrested two persons for defacing the glass shield of a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Nangal village in Phillaur on March 31
The suspects were identified as Sukhbir Singh, alias Rajan (32), and Avtar Singh, alias Tari, both hailing from Noorpur Chattha village in Nakodar
Punjab