Bhikhi case: Daduwal in custody of Mansa police

Faridkot, Punjab: A team of the Mansa police reached here today to take custody of Baljit Singh Daduwal, Sikh preacher and member of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. Daduwal was lodged in the Faridkot Central Jail after he was arrested on August 22 for allegedly possessing banned firearms.

The Mansa police obtained Daduwal’s custody on production warrants in an attempt to murder case registered against him and his 11 supporters on January 2, 2011, at Bhikhi in Mansa district.

The police had reportedly procured the production warrants on August 26. The following day (August 27) Daduwal submitted an application to the jail authorities, saying he feared danger to his life.

He said while in the custody of the Mansa police, he could be eliminated in a fake encounter at the behest of the state government.

Kulwinder Singh Sekhon, Daduwal’s counsel, said the jail authorities sent Daduwal’s application to the District and Sessions Judge, Faridkot, who further directed the Faridkot police to provide adequate security to him. Today, a team of the Faridkot police accompanied Daduwal to Mansa.

Gurmeet Singh, Daduwal’s father-in-law, alleged that the police were “desperate to eliminate Daduwal at the instance of the state government” only because he had supported the setting up of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.

A large number of Daduwal’s supporters gathered in front of the judicial complex and staged a dharna. The police detained a number of Daduwal’s supporters from other blocks of Mansa district on their way to the judicial complex. The police claimed to have released 50 protesters later in the day.

About the case

1. The Mansa police procured production warrants on August 26
2. On August 27, Daduwal submitted an application to the jail authorities
3. He claimed he may be killed in a fake encounter
4. The jail authorities sent Daduwal’s application to the District and Sessions Judge, Faridkot
5. The judge directed the Faridkot police to provide adequate security to him
6. Faridkot police accompanied Daduwal to Mansa on Thursday

Source: The Tribune