Led by minister, AAP workers lock up BBMB chairman

CHANDIGARH: A day after Punjab and Haryana HC restrained Punjab government from interfering in day-to-day functioning of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), high drama unfolded at Nangal dam Thursday as AAP workers, led by minister Harjot Bains, locked up BBMB chief Manoj Tripathi to prevent him from releasing extra water to Haryana.Tripathi, who was confined in a room at the Board's rest house for 2 hours, was finally escorted away by police amid sloganeering by crowds.DIG, Ropar range, H S Bhullar, said Tripathi was safely rescued and had returned to Chandigarh.CM Bhagwant Mann, who reached the site minutes after Tripathi was rescued, accused the BBMB chairman of trying to "illegally loot" water of Punjab, and said "the additional water diverted to Haryana has been restored to Punjab". He warned that BJP and BBMB would be held responsible, should any unrest arise in Punjab amid heightened tensions at India-Pakistan border.Mann told the media that Punjab would challenge the HC order in SC, even as he asserted that HC had not given any directions for releasing additional water to Haryana, but had only referred to the meeting held by the Union home secretary on May 2. At the meeting, ministry of home affairs had "advised" to consider Haryana's request, but there was no "order" to release water, Mann said.Meanwhile, HC Thursday directed Centre to produce the details of the May 2 meeting, in which it was decided to release 4,500 cusecs extra water to Haryana for the next eight days. HC also asked Centre about the authority that could be approached by the partner states in case of any dispute over BBMB's decision.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel also directed the BBMB chairman to submit an affidavit explaining how two Board officials were restrained by Punjab Police from operating at the Bhakra dam on Thursday morning.