The three include Sub-Inspector Bhopal Singh of the UT Estate Office, Junior Engineer Sudesh of the Engineering department and Junior Engineer Naseeb Singh of the Municipal Corporation.

On January 30, an anti-encroachment drive had gone awry as the enforcement agency staff was pelted with stones by an agitated mob for demolishing an alleged illegal construction at the Sector-38 gurdwara. Several police personnel and Additional Deputy Commissioner I S Sandhu had sustained head injuries in the incident.

After the episode, various political parties and religious organisations had condemned the Administration’s action and expressed solidarity with the management of the gurdwara.

Addressing the media, top brass of the Chandigarh Administration clarified that the gurdwara management had sought time from the civic body to remove the encroachment on government land. “Only after the deadline lapsed, did the Administration resort to demolition,” said Deputy Commissioner R K Rao. Finance Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police S S Srivastava were also present at the press meet.

Explaining the reason why demolition orders were issued, the officials said the gurdwara management had assured the enforcement staff that construction of a residential block would not exceed beyond the first floor. But later, it was seen that a second and a third floor had been raised in addition to an extended verandah.