Sarbat Khalsa organisers, including Mann, Mohkam Singh detained

A day after the Sarbat Khalsa (Sikh congregation) announced beant Singh assassin Jagtar Singh Hawara as the jathedar of the Akal Takht, the local police on Wednesday rounded up the event’s chief organisers Simranjit Singh Mann,United Akali Dal head Mohkam Singh and Gurdeep Singh Bathinda.

A day after the Sarbat Khalsa (Sikh congregation) announced beant Singh assassin Jagtar Singh Hawara as the jathedar of the Akal Takht, the local police on Wednesday rounded up the event’s chief organisers Simranjit Singh Mann,United Akali Dal head Mohkam Singh and Gurdeep Singh Bathinda.

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann in a hospital in Amritsar on Wednesday. (Sameer Sehgal / HT)

Simranjit Singh Mann and Mokham Singh were picked at around 4:00am in the morning and taken to the Chheharta Police Station. Sources told that both will now be shifted to a rest house.

Police commissioner Jatinder Aulakh, while confirming this said: “Both have been picked under preventive detention fearing threat to law and order situation.”

Aulakh further told that if more people can be detained depending upon the situation.

Notably, as the Jathedars announced during Sarbat Khalsa are scheduled to March towards Akal Takht and the interim jathedar of Akal Takht Dhian Singh Mand will be addressing the quam today, tension has gripped Amritsar, with police making efforts to foil jathedars’ march to the Golden Temple.

Security has also been heightened around the Golden Temple.

Meanwhile, SGPC has also stepped up security inside the shrine and Task Force will be on its toes throughout the day.

Mann shifted to hospital

After being detained by the local police on Wednesday, SAD (Amritsar) chief and key organiser of the Sarbat Khalsa Simranjit Singh Mann was admitted to the local Guru Nanak Dev Hospital after a check up in the emergency.

Reacting to his detention, Mann said, “I was picked from my house at 4:00 am. This is total high headedness of the government.”

On being asked about further course of action, he said that we will further think on this and decide.