In a crackdown against Sikh hardline leaders who participated in the Sikh congregation, or ‘Sarbat Khalsa,’ the Punjab police on Thursday took United Akali Dal general secretary Wassan Singh Zaffarwal into preventive custody.
The police picked up Mr. Zaffarwal, former chief of the Khalistan Commando Force, from his house at Zaffarwal village in Gurdaspur district.
A local court, meanwhile, sent United Akali Dal head Mohkam Singh, preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal, parallel Akal Takht chief Dhian Singh Mand (appointed by Sikh groups during the congregation) and Amrik Singh Ajnala of Damdami Taksal to judicial custody. They were all arrested over the past two days.
The police on Wednesday detained Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, who was instrumental in organising the Sikh congregation at Chabba village in Amritsar.
Various resolutions were passed on Tuesday during the Sikh congregation including removal of Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh and in his place appointing Jagtar Singh Hawara, the assassin of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, as the jathedar (chief priest) of the Akal Takht.
In other resolutions passed at the congregation, Sarbat Khalsa removed jathedars of two other Takhts — Takht Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Damdama Sahib.
