Punjab Police crackdown on radical leaders

Chandigarh, Dec 7: Punjab Police have detained senior leaders and activists of radical Sikh organisations ahead of 'Sarbat Khalsa', officials said on Wednesday.

Among those detained were Gurdeep Singh, Parminder Singh and 30 others from Bathinda district. Raids were being conducted to round up other radical leaders as well.

Radical Sikh organisations and leaders have called for a 'Sarbat Khalsa' (grand assembly of Sikhs) in the Sikh religious town of Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district on December 8.

The congregation has been called just before assembly elections early next year.

Radical Sikhs on November 10 last year announced the appointment of convicted Khalistan terrorist Jagtar Singh Hawara as the Jathedar (chief) of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikh religion.

The congregation of radicals held in Chaba near Amritsar had also announced the "removal" of all Sikh high priests.

Hawara was convicted in the assassination conspiracy of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, who was killed by a human bomb in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995.

Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal later rejected all the resolutions passed at the unofficial 'Sarbat Khalsa'.

The Akali Dal termed the congregation as "a gathering of anti-Panthic forces".