Under pressure due to the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, and for having leaked the confidential list of protectees whose security was either withdrawn or pruned, the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab Monday launched a damage control exercise.

Mann met senior administrative and police officers at his residence and cancelled a Cabinet meeting scheduled for 11:30 am. The CM also directed Home Secretary Anurag Verma to write to the Punjab and Haryana HC, requesting Chief Justice to assign a sitting judge to probe the murder. Mann also ordered an inquiry into pruning of Moosewala's security.

After the CM’s directions, DGP VK Bhawra, who invited criticism Sunday for rushing out of a press meet without answering media queries, clarified that he never associated Moosewala with any gang or gang war. He blamed the media for distorting his statement.

Later, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan postponed a three-day training session of MLAs that was scheduled from May 31. Sandhwan told The Indian Express, “I have deferred it as some MLAs were not available on Tuesday. We will reschedule it in two-three days.”

Sources said the government postponed the training as Moosewala’s family is yet to cremate him. While Punjab Congress leaders are camping at Moosewala’s residence, the government has been trying to find a way to impress upon the family to cremate him peacefully. However, a Congress leader said, “We agreed to get his postmortem done only after the Home Secretary wrote to the High Court. But there is no development after that. We are now taking out a candle march. We do not know whether he will be cremated on Tuesday tomorrow also or not.”

(With inputs from agencies)