Punjab DGP reviews security at Talwandi Sabo on Baisakhi eve
Police chief Gaurav Yadav visits town for second time this week amid speculation that Sikh radical leader Amritpal Singh may surface at shrine in Bathinda district; Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh has asked Sikhs to converge at Takht Damdama Sahib in large numbers
Security was tightened further in the Talwandi Sabo town of Bathinda district in Punjab on the eve of Baisakhi amid speculation that radical Sikh leader Amritpal Singh, who has been on the run since March 18, may surface at the historic Takht Damdama Sahib.
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Located 35km from the Bathinda district headquarters, Talwandi Sabo is the hub of religious activities on Baisakhi as Takht Damdama Sahib is one of the five seats of temporal authority of Sikhism. At this place, Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, had prepared the full version of Guru Granth Sahib in 1705.
Additional director general of police (ADGP), Bathinda range, SPS Parmar has been camping at Talwandi Sabo for the past week.
Punjab Police chief Gaurav Yadav visited the town on Thursday afternoon to review the security arrangements. He had visited Talwandi Sabo earlier on Monday.
The road leading to the shrine has been barricaded and vehicles are being checked as scores of security personnel from Punjab Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed around the gurdwara to ensure law and order.
Ever since the video message of Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh, urging Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to call a Sarbat Khalsa (an assembly of all factions of Sikhs) at Damdama Sahib on Baisakhi, was shared on social media, it was speculated the fugitive might surface at Talwandi Sabo.
Though no Sarbat Khalsa is being convened, security personnel are geared up to prevent any untoward incident.
ADGP Parmar said though there is no confirmed input of Amritpal reaching Talwandi Sabo, the police were leaving nothing to chance. “I’ve been in Talwandi Sabo for the past several days with my team. We are seeing that devotees don’t face any difficulty but ensuring that no person wanted by the law tries to create any untoward situation,” he said.
This year, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is not holding a political conference in the town on Baisakhi as party leaders are engaged with campaigning for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection scheduled on May 10.
Sangrur parliamentarian and SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann has, however, announced a gathering at Talwandi Sabo on Friday.
Talwandi Sabo sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Gagandeep Singh said the town has been seeing an impressive footfall and the annual mela (fair) is going on smoothly. He said all arrangements are in place for the main celebration on Friday.
Giani Harpreet Singh has appealed to the Sikh sangat (community) to converge at Talwandi Sabo in large numbers. He has been critical of the deployment of police and central paramilitary forces around the shrine.
