Ludhiana – After immense pressure from Diplomatic and political pressure on the Punjab Government, Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa has been released from hospital and sent to his residence at village Hussainpur near Ludhiana. This was disclosed here by Dalwinder Singh Dhoot Chairman North American Punjabi Association (NAPA).
The 80-year-old, who has been without food since January 16 and was being force-fed since February 27, has been seeking the release of 82 Sikh detainees languishing in various jails of the country despite the completion of their sentence. Khalsa was reportedly discharged from the hospital a few hours after his daughter Sarvinder Kaur met President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi today.
“We had met the President and bought the matter of human right violations by the police to his notice. While we were returning to Ludhiana, we were told that the police have freed my father and he has been discharged from the hospital. I do not know whether my brother has been released from the hospital or not,” said Sarvinder. Sources said Commissioner of Police Parmod Ban visited the hospital prior to Khalsa’s release. Sarvinder Kaur was part of a five-member delegation of Sikh bodies comprising representatives of the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners. The delegation was led by Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, United Akali Dal leader, and comprised Dr Bhagwan Singh, United Akali Dal chairman; Jaswant Singh Mann, SAD (Amritsar) secretary general; and Swaran Singh, former IAS. They met the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan for 15 minutes.