Security personnel outside a dera centre in Patiala on Saturday. Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Tribune Reporters

Bathinda, August 26

A day after violent incidents were reported in Malwa, the police today raided dera premises and Naam Charcha Ghars in seven districts of Bathinda zone.Followers were told to vacate the premises and only those managing the affairs were allowed to stay.Mukhwinder Singh Chhina, IGP, said the raids were conducted at prominent dera premises. A heavy police force has been deployed outside Salabatpura dera after curfew was ordered there.Even as no incident of violence took place in any of the districts of Malwa today, the police today registered 26 FIRs against those who damaged pubic property in violent incidents yesterday. A number of persons have been arrested.Ashish Chaudhary, DIG, said eight cases had been registered in Mansa, seven in Bathinda and five in Muktsar. He said the Bathinda police had arrested five persons for damaging public property at Balluyana railway station. Cases had been registered at Bathinda sadar police station against 27 persons.Bathinda SSP Naveen said attempts were made to damage property at several places. In all incidents, the main accused had been identified. Seven of them had been arrested, he said.The region remained under tight security. The Barnala administration today sealed a Naam Charcha Ghar near Cheema village after the police reportedly seized petrol and sticks from there. Four cases were registered by the Barnala police against several people for damaging public property. A telephone exchange at Chananwal village has been set on fire, attempt was made to torch a Sewa Kendra at Wajidke and Handaya villages and a mobile tower was targeted in Barnala. Mansa SSP Paramveer Singh Parmar said seven cases had been registered at Mansa town, Moosa village, Dattewas, Hodal and Bakhsiwal. In Faridkot, the police have registered two cases after some persons damaged a Sewa Kendra at Ratti Khori village and broke the windowpanes of a petrol pump at Beer Singh Wala village.In Abohar, five dera followers were arrested for violation of prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 CrPC. They were identified as Lakhwinder Singh and Gursewak Singh of Gobindgarh village, and Satish Bajaj, Sachin Gandhi and Darshan Lal. Dera’s women wing leader Asha Rani and some unidentified persons have also been booked.GRP station in charge Pramod Jain said a case had been registered against unidentified persons for torching the office of the station superintendent in Malout.The Muktsar district police have arrested five persons, including two dera officials, and seized 14 petrol bombs, chilli powder, two sharp weapons and a motorcycle from them. Besides, 96 persons have been booked so far for indulging in violent activities yesterday, claimed Sushil Kumar, SSP, Muktsar.According to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, 19 potential troublemakers were taken into preventive custody in the state, whereas 39 cases were registered against perpetrators of violence.