Bathinda – The Punjab Police tried to foil the fourth “Vangar March” from Bathinda held yesterday on 10th March.
Hundreds of Sikhs gathered at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Bathinda to participate in the protest march demanding the release of the Sikh prisoners languishing in jails despite the completion of their term and against the attitude of the government towards Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa in the city.
Heavy police force was deployed outside the gurdwara from where the march was to be start. Tense atmosphere prevailed when the organisations started the march from the gurdwara. As the protesters came out of the gurdwara, a large number of policemen, led by DSP Ranjit Singh, tried to stop them but they, led by Parminder Singh Balianwali, district president of the Amritsar unit of SAD, Baba Hardeep Singh vice-president, Panch Pradhani, Gurdeep Singh Brar, general secretary, United Akali Dal and Jaspal Singh Hera took out the march till the fire bridge chowk. After reaching the spot, they staged a protest on the road and blocked the traffic.
The police also arrested Baba Hardeep Singh Mehraj, Baba Chamkaur Singh, along with other workers. However, they were released later.
These leaders while addressing the gathering at the gurdwara said there was no law in the country, which stated that the persons who have completed their term be kept in jails.
They said the state government was not serious for the release of the prisoners who have completed their term. They demanded that the government should release the Sikh prisoners at the earliest and also release the Surat Singh Khalsa.
Notable, radical sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal did not turn up for the march. The police said no one was arrested.