AMRITSAR, India: The A.IS.S.F. (Guyit Singh) faction, the Istri Akali Dal led by Bimal Kaur Khalsa and the Akal Federation have strongly condemned the entry of police into the Temple and took exception to the rounding of innocent devotees. The attendance in the Golden Temple was thin due to the shooting which took place outside Room No. 47 of Parkarma in which one police head constable was killed and three others were injured. The slain Head Constable Sukhdev Singh was cremated with police honoursat his village Dhariwal on Jhabal Road in the afternoon wreaths were placed on his body by senior police and G.R.PF. officers. The police is still busy screening twenty three persons who were rounded up from the Complex immediately after the incident.
Police officers from different area of the district have been summoned to verify the antecedents of these persons. Baba Uttam Singh of Khadur Sahib, who is also looking after Kar Sewa of Akal Takht alleged that at least six men of his Dera including his driver have also been rounded up:
After initial reluctance various leaders reacted to the incident. State Janata Party Chief Mubarak Singh urged Prof. Darshan Singh to take steps to avoid such incidents in future. The leaders of C.P.I. B.J.P. and Rashtriya Suraksha Samiti critized the “occupation’’ of the Complex by true Sikhs.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 13, 1987
