LUDHIANA: Thousands of Sikhs staged a dharna on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh highway recently to protest against police interference in their plan to hold prayer meeting at Chhandran village to pay homage to Bhindranwale Tiger Force of Khalistan leader Bhai Rachhpal Singh Chhandran and his deputy Jagdish Singh Deesha who died in police custody a few days ago the police persuaded the Sikhs to lift dharna after it gave an assurance that no interference would be made provided the Akali leaders and others were kept out of the function. A bhog ceremony was later held at Chhandran where no senor Akali functionary was present.
Earlier, the police had picked up several village youths who were pulling up shelters against sun for the function. The dharna was provoked by these arrests.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1992
