BATHINDA: The previous SAD government wanted to tackle the October 2015 protest in Kotkapura peacefully, but police had resort to action - including a lathi charge, use of water cannons, and firing at agitators - after some people in the crowd created a ruckus, former Kotkapura MLA Mantar Singh Brar on Friday informed the SIT probing into incidents of sacrilege.Appearing before the special investigation team (SIT), which is also probing into the police action at Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan, former chief parliamentary secretary Brar said he was in touch with former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal , and officials of the police and administration, through the night."We informed Badal about the protest and he instructed officials to tackle the situation peacefully. The administration was discharging its duty. We had asked officials to show restraint, but some persons created a nuisance," he said.In the four video clips procured by Justice Ranjit Singh (retired), who headed the one-man judicial commission which probed the police action, it was seen that the protesters were sitting peacefully in the wee hours of October 14, 2015, at Kotkapura light point when police started to cane charge them. Badal had also said he had no role in the action against protesters.Apart from Brar, the then Kotkapura SDM, Harjit Singh, and Kotkapura DSP Baljit Singh appeared before the SIT in Faridkot, confirmed IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who is one of the five members of the probe team.IG Pratap Singh said Mantar and the two officials could not record their statements earlier. He refused to divulge the details of what they said.The Punjab government had formed the SIT after the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission had submitted its report into the incidents of sacrilege and police action taken against protesters in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan.After the action in the wee hours in Kotkapura, police had fired at protesters in Behbal Kalan. Two agitators - Krishan Bhagwan Singh and Gurjit Singh - were killed in the police firing.

Stay updated with all the Amritsar Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.