PATIALA: To thwart Sikh parcharaks’ proposed gherao of SAD MLAs, ministers and SGPC members in the state, Punjab police on Sunday detained Bhai Ranjit Singh Dhadriyanwale and Bhai Daler Singh Kheri wale, inside gurdwaras.
The action was taken on a day when protesting Sikh organizations were scheduled to organize gherao of Akali ministers and MLAs against desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari town of Faridkot district. The call for November 15 protests was given at bhog ceremony of two youth, who were killed in police firing in Faridkot last month.
Baba Daler Singh Kheri confirmed to TOI that he was under “house arrested” by local police since 11 pm on Saturday. “I had to take part in the meeting today called by protesting organizations against Bargari incident. But around 11 pm last night, dozens of police personnel assembled outside and prevented my movement,” he told TOI.
Heavy police force was also deployed around Gurdwara Parmeshar Dwar, headquarter of Baba Ranjit Singh Dhadhrianwale, located around 20 kilometres from Patiala city on Chandigarh-Bathidna Highway.
Although his presence inside the complex couldn’t be confirmed by independent sources, police officials, requesting anonymity, admitted that the Baba “might” be holed up inside the complex.
“As none of our men entered the complex, we couldn’t spot Baba Ranjit Singh Dhadhrianwale. But to best of our knowledge, he is inside,” said Patiala senior superintendent of police G S Chauhan, adding that the security was beefed up to “maintain law and order”.
Although he stayed away from the recently organized Sarbat Khalsa near Amritsar, where protesting Sikh organizations “removed” jathedars of Akal Takht and two other Takhts, Dhadhrianwale was at forefront of the agitation against sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Faridkot district, wherein two youth were killed in police firing.
Officials said that police were deployed around Dhadhrianwale’s headquarter to prevent any kind of assembly of protesters in the complex.
Devinder Singh Fauji, a gurdwara employee, said Daler Singh had been detained in the gurdwara to prevent him from meeting his supporters.
Fauji said as per a resolution passed by a gathering at Bargari village, the activists had planned to gherao Akali MLAs, ministers and SGPC members on November 16. The resolution was passed following police failure to arrest the culprits of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib at Bargari village. He said instead of arresting the accused, the government had put under house arrest Sikh preachers.