Hassanpur – Sikh Human Rights activist Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 185 days seeking release of Sikh prisoners, is in a critical health condition now.
Bapu Surat Singh’s native village Hassanpur has been turned into a fortress as his condition is deteriorating fast. Bapu ji has strictly refused any medical aid unless his demands for release of Sikh political prisoners are met.
A number of activists of the Satkar Committee, formed to seek the release of Sikh detainees, are camping at the house of Khalsa (80) to support his movement.
Sukhjit Singh Khosa, Satkar Committee chief, said nearly 250 Sikh supporters had been rounded up. He further told media that they have been without food since last night. The supply of food-grain and vegetables has been snapped. The police have threatened to snap out electricity and water supply.
Nearly 1,000 security personnel, including paramilitary forces, swarmed the village last night and plugged all its routes.
Sarvinder Kaur, Khalsa’s daughter, said policemen in civil dresses entered their house last night and tried to take her father to the hospital. She said that they are carrying a peaceful protest, but the supporters are upset at the sudden police crackdown and rounding up of many young supporters.
She denied that the bricks were brought for attacking at the police. Khosa said Sikh supporters were sitting on a peaceful protest. “They were not carrying any fuel bombs. In fact, the youngsters had poured petrol in bottles to use as self-immolation threat to prevent police from entering the house,” he said.
Ravcharan Brar, SSP, visited Khalsa’s house and asked supporters to cooperate in maintaining peace.
Statewide Marches thwarted
Meanwhile, the police also thwarted marches by supporters of bapu Surat Singh and activists of the All India Sikh Student Federation (AISSF) and other Sikh organisations who had gathered in different parts of the state, including Amritsar, Moga and Faridkot, and were heading towards Hassanpur.
Prominent among those taken in custody were Sangharsh Committee convenor 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, Jasvir Singh Khandoor, United Akali Dal (UAD) leader Mohkam Singh and Wassan Singh Zafarwal, Baba Avtar Singh Sadhanwala (Faridkot), Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad, Karaj Singh and Gurmukh Singh Sandhu (AISSF Peer Mohammad), Daler Singh Doad (SSF Mehta) and others (Sadiq and Faridkot), Gursewak Singh and Manwinder Singh Giaspura (Ludhiana).
The Bathinda police have arrested United Akali Dal senior leader Bhai Gurdeep Singh, who is also the convener of the Bandi Sikh Sangarsh Committee that has been demanding the release of Sikh prisoners. The police raided his home last night.