Congress in Punjab today attacked the Parkash Singh Badal government over the clash in Mukstar in which three persons were yesterday killed and demanded a thorough probe into the incident.
The clash had taken place over the control of a gurdwara in Mallan village.
"Three persons were killed and half a dozen injured in the senseless violence that could have been easily prevented by timely government action," several Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) leaders said in a joint statement statement.
PPCC leaders Karan K Brar, Harnirpal S Kukku, Harcharan S Sotha and Nathu Ram said the incident showed law and order had collapsed in the state under the Badal dispensation.
Even the police personnel present on the spot failed to prevent the incident, in which around 70 gunshots were fired in about 45 minutes, they alleged.
The tension at the gurudwara was building up for over a week after Makhan Singh, who had been overseeing the gurudwara affairs for the past several years, "was forcibly thrown out of the premises by the rival faction led by Naib Singh.
"The authorities failed to make adequate security arrangements and the situation flared up," the Congress leaders alleged.
Prompt steps should be taken to control the situation in the area and strict and exemplary action should be initiated against those found guilty of inciting the violence, they said.
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