Six held for attack on Sukhbir’s convoy, charged with murder bid
SANGRUR : Two days after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal’s cavalcade was allegedly attacked by members of some radical Sikh outfits in Sangrur, police on Saturday arrested six persons and slapped attempt to murder charges against them.
Five of them were produced in a local court which sent them to judicial custody till October 20. They are Manjit Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Davinder Singh, Gurjant Singh and Gurjit Singh. The main accused, Bachittar Singh, president of the Granthi Sabha who led the protesters on Thursday, was arrested late evening.
Around a hundred activists owing allegiance to the Granthi Sabha and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) had disrupted Sukhbir’s cavalcade and hit vehicles with sticks and shoes when he was on his way to Gurdwara Nanakiana Sahib on the outskirts of Sangrur city for a meeting.
Nearly 35 persons, most of them unidentified, were booked in this connection.
Attempt to murder charges were added to the first information report (FIR) on Saturday amid ‘pressure’ by the Akali Dal that demanded CBI inquiry into the incident, it was learnt.
“Raids are being conducted to arrest other accused,” said Sangrur senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Garg.
“Bachittar will be produced in court on Sunday,” said DSP (rural) Satpal Sharma.
Before his arrest, Bachittar said Sikh activists are being implicated in false cases and they were just opposing Sukhbir’s meeting at a religious place.
“The Akalis and Congress are hand in glove,” he said.
SAD spokesperson Winnerjit Goldy, who filed the police complaint, had claimed that a man even attacked Sukhbir’s car with a kirpan.
ACTIVISTS OWING ALLEGIANCE TO GRANTHI SABHA AND SAD (AMRITSAR) HAD ATTACKED SUKHBIR’S MOTORCADE WHEN HE WAS ON WAY TO NANAKIANA SAHIB