Punjab Police officials' leave cancelled till April 14 over Amritpal Singh: Reports
Punjab police has cancelled the leaves of all cops in the state till April 14 after radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh sought a meeting of the Sikhs later this month, according to various media reports. Amritpal, who has been evading arrest, has asked the chiefs of the top Sikh body, Akal Takht, to convene the "Sarbat Khalsa" gathering on April 14.
FollowPunjab police will not get Baisakhi holiday this year as leaves of all officers have been cancelled till April 14, in the wake of radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh’s escape. According to media reports, there are concerns that a law and order issue might be caused using the event "as an excuse."
‘Sarbat Khalsa’, a gathering of Sikhs that Amritpal had demanded, has not been cancelled yet. However, authorities worry that the fugitive would provide a separatist vibe to Sikh gatherings relating to Baisakhi that are taking place in different gurudwaras across the state. The leaders of the highest Sikh organization, Akal Takht, had been requested by the hardline Sikh preacher to hold the "Sarbat Khalsa" on April 14 at Bathinda, Punjab, in honour of Baisakhi.
Also Read | Centre calls for high-level COVID meeting as India records 6,050 new cases
All leaves, including previously approved leaves, for all gazetted and non-gazetted personnel in Punjab have been cancelled until Baisakhi, according to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav's statement to the officers. The chiefs have also been instructed to postpone approving any new leaves until April 14.
The separatist's appeal for the congregation came in two video messages that surfaced last month. He also asked the jathedars (chiefs of Akal Takht) to take out a religious procession from the Akal Takht in Amritsar to Damdama Sahib in Bathinda ahead of the gathering on Baisakhi.
Amritpal has been evading arrest for over three weeks now. Amritpal's trips to Georgia and the alleged ISI conspiracy that took place there soon before he landed in India last year are now the subject of new revelations.
