Sikhs stage protests against desecration

CHANDIGARH: Carrying black flags and placards, several Sikh activists, including radical groups, staged peaceful protests across Punjab against the desceration of holy book last month, with demands for timebound probe by CBI.

The protesters were also demanding recovery of stolen ‘bir’ (religious scripture) of Guru Granth Sahib from village Burj Jawahar Singhwala on June 1 at Faridkot, arrest of real desecrators and of those cops who had fired at protesters killing two Sikh activists and injuring several others at Behbal Kalan village last month and making their names public.

They also demanded scrapping permanently the case registered against two brothers Rupinder Singh and Jaswinder Singh, who were ar rested earlier but released with police saying there was not sufficient evidence.

The protesters, including women, formed a human chain adjacent to roads, including National Highways and statehighways criss-crossing the state without disturbing traffic, police said.

Chanting Satnam Waheguru, the protesters were supported by representatives of dalit and muslim communities at various places in the state.

Apprehending that the CBI probe into the desecration incidents could meet the fate of 1984 riots, the protesters demanded a time-bound probe by the investigating agency.