Punjab: Protests erupt in Sunam; security agencies on alert

PATIALA: Protests erupted in Suman town as soon as the body of two-year-old Fatehveer Singh was retrieved from the 150-feet borewell in which he had remained stuck for over 109 hours following which the security agencies have been put on alert in the district.
Protests are being held in various parts of Sunam town, while a mass protest is being held at Cheema Mandi. The protestors have blocked several roads following which traffic have been diverted.The protestors are blaming the district administration and the state government for the botched up rescue operation which proved to be a complete failure and are engaging in sloganeering against the government.
The residents of the Bhagwanpura also sat on a dharna near ITI Chowk and blocked the Patiala-Mansa road, promoting the district administration to release a video of Fetahveer’s grandfather Rohi Singh in which he is seen making an appeal to the masses not to indulge in any kind of violence.
There were reports that after conducting the post-mortem at PGI Chandigarh, the body of Fatehveer will be send back to Bhagwanpura where last rites will be performed.
Amidst heavy police deployment, the shopkeepers in the entire town have downed their shutters, while the bus stands wore a deserted look.
Meanwhile, the security agencies have been put on alert and intelligence teams have been asked to maintain a vigil across the district, especially in areas around Bhagwanpura where the child remained trapped in the borewell for over 109 hours and other sensitive areas in the town.
Fatehveer Singh, who fell into the 150-feet borewell while playing in the agricultural fields owned by his family outside his house located in Bhagwanpura village on Sunam-Sheron road on Thursday afternoon, had reportedly died on Saturday morning. Those monitoring him through a mini surveillance camera downed in the borewell had last seen the movement of his hands at 5:10 am on Saturday.