An injured DSP, protest marches, heavy deployment of forces, and preventive arrests — Punjab turned tense on Sunday as the supporters of Surat Singh Khalsa prevented the police from taking him to hospital as his fast or the release of such prisoners entered 170th day.
The situation was worst in ludhiana as heavy police deployment could be seen on roads heading towards Hassanpur village where 80-year-old Khalsa is observing fast. He has reportedly refused treatment.
The routes were sealed following reports that Khalsa was unwell, and may be shifted to the hospital. Tempers ran high as Khalsa’s supporters did not allow the police and administration, camping in the village, to take Khalsa for treatment.
The police authorities, meanwhile, maintained an all-is-well stand. ADGP Intelligence HS Dhillon denied CRPF deployment in Hassanpur village.
ludhiana SSP Ravcharan Brar visited Khalsa's house and called for cooperation in maintaining peace in the village. The outsiders were also told to leave the village.
ADC Supreet Gulati, ADC Kuldip Singh also visited the village but Khalsa refused to leave the village for treatment.
In an attempt to maintain law and order situation in the State, the police carried massive preventive arrest across the State and rounded up senior Sikh leaders. Available information suggests the Sikh leaders proceeded against by the police include All India Sikh Students' Federation’s leaders Gurmukh Singh Sandhu and Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad, Sangharsh Committee convener Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, Damdami Taksal Ajnala chief Bhai Amrik Singh Ajnala, SGPC member and Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani) leader Bhai Kulvir Singh Barapind, advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, United Akali Dal leader Mohkam Singh and wassan Singh Zafarwal, among many others.
In Ajnala, a strong group of irked Sikh hardliners attacked Punjab Police Deputy Superintendent Tilak Raj with bricks, who has now been admitted in the Government Hospital with head injury.
Situation took an ugly turn when group of Sikh hardliners were stopped by the police when they were taking out protest march to extend support to Khalsa who was on hunger strike for the past few weeks carrying demands for the release of Sikh prisoners.
Irked by the police interruption, Sikh hardliners started to throw bricks on police party whereupon one of the brick hit on DSP’s head who was immediately rushed to Government hospital with profuse bleeding.
When mob observed situation may take ugly turn, they disbursed and ran away from the scene while leaving the protest behind. After incident, entire Ajnala bordering town has been converted into police cantonment with the deployment of heavy police force.
In Moga, Punjab police swooped down on leaders of AISSF. It has been learnt that AISSF vice-president Gurmukh Singh Sandhu has been taken into custody, while Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad's house at parental village was raided but he was not there.
The police action has been taken to prevent them from going to meet Bapu Surat Singh who is sitting on fast for the past over six months at Hassanpur village in ludhiana district, said a senior police functionary.
Faridkot police also arrested about one dozen Sikh leaders who were to participate in Sikh Students Federation's protest march for Hassanpur.