Punjab govt to restore security of 424 persons from June 7

The Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government on Thursday told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it will restore the security cover to all 424 people from June 7 which was withdrawn temporarily for the Amritsar Ghalughara event.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had issued this order while hearing a petition filed by Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni, who had challenged the state government's decision to withdraw the "Z" category security provided to him.

In its last hearing, HC had asked the government for a detailed report on the number of people whose security was taken and also furnish the reason for the same.

Speaking to ANI after the hearing, Advocate Madhu Dayal, counsel to OP Soni said, "Punjab government said the security was withdrawn on a temporary basis for the Amritsar Ghalughara event and it would be reinstated by June 7."

In a major decision, the Punjab government, on May 28, withdrew the security cover provided to 424 people in the state. It included Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known as Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after his security cover was withdrawn.