Ludhiana -Two back-to-back meetings between the police and Bapu Surat Singh Sangharsh Committee failed to break the ice on Tuesday to reach an outcome over the release of Sikh political prisoners.
Additional DGP-Intelligence Hardeep Dhillon, who is camping in the city, met Sangharsh Committee members, Bhai Mohkam Singh, Bhai Gurdeep Singh Bathinda, Bhai RP Singh and Bhai Jasbir Singh Khandur, at Police Lines in Ludhiana. Thereafter, a second meeting attended by Baljit Singh Dadduwal, Khalsa’s son, Ravinderpal Singh Goggi, and daughter Sarvarinder Kaur at civil hospital also failed to break the deadlock.
Bapu Surat Singh son Ravinder Singh Gogi in a statement to media said, “My father had told the officials that he would not have water till all the persons arrested on Sunday were set free.”
While quoting a conversation between his father and the ADGP-Intelligence, he also said: “The ADGP had come with a huge file. He told my father to show restraint as one wrong move could lead the state to the dark days of militancy. But my father told him not to fuel the trouble and advised him that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should act responsibly.”
Sukhjit Singh Khosa sent to Jail
Meanwhile. the police today released 27 Sikh supporters out of the 40 arrested on Sunday following a raid at Hassanpur village where Sikh Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa had been sitting on a peaceful hunger strike. However, Satkar Committee chief Sukhjit Singh Khosa and 12 others, have been booked for assaulting a police team.
Bapu Surat Singh, who has been without food since January 16, refused to drink water demanding the release of all Sikh supporters arrested in Hassanpur.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Jagraon) Ravcharan Brar didn’t interact with the media, but in a note issued in the evening said Khalsa was misguided the Sangharsh Committee. Brar said Khalsa should realise that there were legal complications in releasing the prisoners.
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