Pannun booked under UAPA after Khalistani banners seen outside HP assembly

US-based Sikhs For Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was booked under anti-terror law UAPA and other penal offences on Sunday after Khalistani banners were found put up and graffiti scrawled on walls near the main gate of the Himachal Pradesh assembly complex in Dharamshala, police said.

Amid some pro-Khalistan activities in parts of Himachal and other neighbouring states and the announcement of June 6 as Khalistan referendum day, the state police chief also ordered the sealing of the border and beefing up state-wide security at sensitive and crowded places.

The state border has been sealed to regulate movements of suspicious elements across it and keeping a strict vigil there, police said.

Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu said Pannun has been booked as the main accused under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sections 153 A and 153 B of the India Penal Code, besides section 3 of the HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985.

While section 13 of the UAPA pertains to the offence of inciting or abetting terror acts, sections 153 A and 153 B of the IPC deal with the offences of promoting communal or sectarian divides and animosity.

Kundu said the FIR against Pannun and others was lodged on the complaint of Ram Chand alias Ajay Kumar of Kaned village under Dharamshala tehsil of the Kangra district.

In a statement here on Sunday evening, the DGP said, "Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel to Sikhs for Justice has been made the main accused in the case.

DGP also set up a seven-member Special Investigation Team to expeditiously investigate the case involving the putting up of Khalistani banners and scrawling of pro-Khalistan slogans and graffiti over the outer walls near the main gate of the Himachal legislative assembly complex Tapovan in Dharamshala.