Cow slaughter: Situation continues to be tense in Punjab towns

MANSA/BARNALA: Situation continued to be tense and volatile on second consecutive day of the slaughtering of cows at village Joga bone crushing factory. District headquarter towns, Mansa and Barnala apart from sub divisional town Budhlada observed complete bandh in the aftermath of cow slaughtering and irate crowds burned four motorcycles at Mansa presuming these belonging to persons involved in ferrying of cows for slaughtering.However curfew was relaxed for 3 hours at Joga.
On the other hand Joga SHO Rajinderpal Singh too was placed under suspension. Earlier Mansa SSP Sukhdev Singh Chahal was suspended on Sunday for dereliction of duty in the aftermath of killing of cows leading to vandalism by irate crowds.
People were on a rampage on Sunday in Joga, a village situated on Mansa-Barnala road when after reports came in of slaughtering more than 30 cows at animal bone crushing factory. People had badly damaged the factory and houses of three factory partners. District administration had clamped curfew after police had miserably failed in reining in the angry villagers. Police had booked the partners under the charge of hurting religious sentiments and cow slaughter(prevention) act.
Giving a clarion call for complete bandh at Mansa and Barnala, hundreds of residents including activists of Vishav Hindu Parishad(VHP) landed on streets and forced the closure of business establishments. Some heated exchanges were also reported in Barnala with VHP district office bearer Neelmani leading the crowds.
The angry residents of Mansa, sitting on dharna headed towards court road when they got to know that few cows were being transported in a truck. Seeing the crowd, the truck driver fled, leaving behind the truck and four motorcyclists too ran away leaving behind the bikes. The crowds torched the bikes and freed half a dozen cows from the truck.
Mansa DC Amit Dhaka said "as situation is turning towards normalcy, curfew has been relaxed for 3 hours at Joga. He confirmed though some angry people have burned few motorcycles at Mansa but administration is keeping strict vigil and situation is under control".
Harpreet Singh, who was appointed at Mansa as SSP after the incumbent Sukhdev Singh Chahal was placed under suspension on Sunday.