Ropar, November 29
Just two days ahead of the appearance of the former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, in the special court here, the Ropar police today started making preventive arrests in the district. Many SAD workers were booked under the Section 107/51 of the CrPC and detained in various police stations of the district. Till the filing of this report as many as 12 SAD workers had been detained in Ropar, four in Nangal and some in Anandpur Sahib, Nurpur Bedi, Morinda, Kurali and Kharar. However, the police authorities here refused to answer the queries of mediapersons in this regard.
Raids were conducted at the residences of all main SAD leaders of the district. However, sources maintained that none of the main SAD leaders of the district could be arrested as they had gone underground.
Meanwhile, the District Magistrate, Ms Seema Jain, today imposed Section 144 within the municipal limits of Ropar banning the gathering of more than five persons in the area.
According to sources the SAD was planning to stage a show of strength on December 1 at Ropar. Some of the Akali leaders, when contacted, told on the condition of anonymity that 3,000 to 4,000 Akali workers were likely accompany Mr Badal from Chandigarh to Ropar. Besides thousands were expected to gather at Bhadha Sahib Gurdwara in Ropar.
Sources in the Bhadha Sahib Gurdwara told that preparations for providing langar to as many as 30,000 to 35,000 persons were being made for December 1. The police has also raised barricades and nakas to prevent the SAD workers from gathering at Bhadha Sahib Gurdwara. SAD workers are also expected to pour in from Nawanshahr district.
The police has also made special arrangement to thwart the show of strength by the SAD workers. Reinforcement from Tarn Taran. Jagraon and Khanna reached Ropar today. The policemen have been housed in government schools in Kotla Nihang and other villages in the vicinity of Ropar. Barricades have already been raised on the roads leading to the Ropar judicial court complex.
Meanwhile, the Congressmen of Ropar are also planning to organise a rally tomorrow to support the registration of a case against Mr Badal. The Congressmen will gather at Giani Zail Singh Nagar tomorrow and would organise a march from there.
BATHINDA:
A number of SAD workers, according to unconfirmed reports, were rounded up by the police in various pockets of this district to prevent them from going to Ropar on December 1.
Those rounded up, included Mr Mukhtiar Singh, member SGPC, Mr Surinder Singh and Youth Akali leader.
Though a number of Akali leaders, including Mr Chiranji Lal Garg, former minister, Mr Gurpreet Singh Kangar, MLA, Rampura, Mr Rajan Garg, general secretary, All-India Youth Akali Dal (Badal) and many leaders of the Youth Akali Dal had gone underground, the police had
been continuing raids on the premises of Akali leaders.
Most of the senior police officers of this district, however, maintained that they were unable to give a comment in this regard.
SANGRUR: In view of Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s appearance in a Ropar court on December 1 in connection with a disproportionate assets case and to prevent Akali workers and leaders from reaching Ropar on that day, the police today conducted raids on the houses of SAD leaders and workers at Sangrur, Bhawanigarh and Malerkotla in the district, and arrested 42 workers by this evening.
Talking to TNS tonight, Mr Gurinder Singh Dhillon, SSP, Sangrur, said the police had so far arrested 42 workers and leaders as a preventive measure. Sixteen Akali activists were held in Moonak subdivision, 15 in Malerkotla, three in Dhuri, two in Sunam and six in Sangrur subdivision.
JALANDHAR:
A number of prominent Akali leaders went underground on Saturday as the police conducted raids on their houses in Jalandhar and Nawanshahr districts this evening.
Some middle and lower rung workers and leaders, however, were arrested by the police.
Meanwhile, some prominent leaders and workers of the party had reportedly moved to the Nada Sahib gurdwara near Panchkula, considering the place to be safe haven.
Five lower rung Akali leaders, including Mr Gurdial Singh, were detained by the Nawanshahr police, while a number of Akalis including Partap Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Kulwant Singh, Sahib Sahbi were detained in Jalandhar under Sections 107 and 151 of the
CrPC.
