Mr. Sarabjit of Jammu, an activist of All India Sikh Students Federation was arrested by Amritsar police on the night of August 17, 1985. Sarabjit was a proclaimed offender and Punjab Police announced a reward of 50,000 on his head. According to police sources he was nabbed when he was coming out of the Golden Temple Complex and a 2.4 foreign made pistol and 6 cartridges were allegedly recovered from his possession. Sarabjit Singh is wanted in a number of cases including hijacking of an Indian Airline plane to Lahore on July 5, last year during its flight from Delhi to Srinagar.

Sarabjit Singh is also a member of Ad Hoc Committee of Federation that manages organizational wing of the federation. Meanwhile Surat Singh Khalsa, Secretary of United Akali Dal and Amolak Singh PA to Baba Joginder Singh and Mr. Jagat Singh a nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and 31 other Sikhs were released on bail by District judge Amritsar on August 17, 1985. They were arrested from the Golden Temple Complex for allegedly attempting to assault Sant Longowal following a clash between the workers of all India Sikh Students Federation and supporters of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal on July 30, 1985. More than a dozen workers of all India Sikh Students Federation were injured as a result of firing by Longowal followers but no case was registered against Sant Longowal by the police.

Article extracted from this publication >>  August 23, 1985