Missing persons: Police, action committee cross swords over bandh call

FARIDKOT: Faridkot police and activists protesting over missing persons have locked horns over the district bandh call on Friday. Members of Jabar Virodhi (anti-oppression) Action Committee, formed against the police failure to trace the missing people, are adamant on complete shutdown on Friday. The police, though, are trying to scuttle their attempt.
Both the activists and the police have approached various trade associations for support. Police have even registered a case against two senior members of the committee for making bandh announcements without taking the permission from the authorities.
Neetu Kapoor, sister of Manoj Kapoor who is among the missing, started a fast unto death against the police move to book the committee members -- Rajinder Singh and Kuldeep Sharma -- and to put pressure on the police officials to intensify their efforts to trace those who have disappeared.
Faridkot city station house officer (SHO) Jasvarinder Singh said a case had been registered against Rajinder and Kuldeep for not taking permission from the deputy commissioner for making public announcement about the bandh call.
"We are committed to organizing the bandh. Such actions of police cannot force us to fall in line. We are requesting trade bodies to take part in bandh, but district police are threatening them with dire consequences if they closed their establishments," Rajinder and Kuldeep said.
A petition regarding the missing persons has been filed before the Punjab and Haryana high court, which has summoned Faridkot senior superintendent of police (SSP) to appear in person on September 15. About 30 persons from the district are missing for the last 18 months.
Faridkot SSP S S Kahlon said, "Police have not put pressure on any trader to dissuade them from taking part in the bandh. However, we are bound to maintain law and order. I will appear before high court on September 15 and will inform it about steps being taken to trace missing persons."