Sikh hardliners on Sunday damaged three vehicles — two buses and a car — while protesting against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rally in Faridkot. As many as 100 Sikh hardliners belonging to the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), United Akali Dal and the Dal Khalsa managed to enter Faridkot town despite heavy police deployment there.
Around 20 companies of police personnel were deployed in Faridkot to maintain law and order during the rally after the Sikh hardliners announced a protest against the Badals over sacrilege incidents.
The police stopped the protesters just 200 metres from the SAD rally.
They damaged a bus and a car near the local railways station around 2pm. Later near the city police station, they damaged another bus in which Akali workers were travelling after the rally was over. A major clash was averted.
The protesters tore SAD posters and hoardings in the city and brandished swords and other weapons, keeping the cops on their toes. Police provided security to the buses in which SAD workers were travelling, giving them safe exit from the rally from the hardliners.
Earlier, around 11am, the hardliners broke two police barricades at Kotkapura and Mai-Godri Chowk in Faridkot, but were stopped, the police said. “We stopped the protesters and the law and order situation remained under control. We will not allow anyone to disturb peace,” said inspector general (Ferozepur range) Mukhwinder Singh Chhina.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, around 11am, the hardliners broke two police barricades at Kotkapura and Mai-Godri Chowk in Faridkot, but were stopped, the police said. “We stopped the protesters and the law and order situation remained under control. We will not allow anyone to disturb peace,” said inspector general (Ferozepur range) Mukhwinder Singh Chhina.
{{/usCountry}}“The Faridkot police did not arrest a single person. People were carrying weapons to harm former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal,” added Chhina.
SAD spokesperson Parambans Singh Romana termed it a state-sponsored protest as the agitators damaged property right under the police’s nose.
“It clearly shows that the protest took place in connivance with the police ,” Romana claimed.
Even as the district headquarters remained tense due to the SAD rally, it was a routine day for the Bargari ‘morcha’ of parallel jathedars.