On November 5, Ludhiana police advised Hindu leaders Amit Arora (Shiv Sena Punjab), Yogesh Bakhshi and national joint coordinator of Kisan Congress (AICC) Gursimran Singh Mand to stay at home. The leaders were not allowed to travel to Amritsar where Shiv Sena Taksali President and popular Hindu leader Sudhir Suri was brutally murdered a day earlier. The police have also increased security outside the residences of Hindu leaders.
The restriction on the Hindu leaders’ movement came after a video of Pakistan-based pro-Khalistani leader Gopal Singh Chawla affiliated with Pakistan’s ISI emerged on social media. In the video, after congratulating the killers of Suri, he threatened to kill Amit Arora, Nishant Sharma (Shiv Sena Hind) and Gursimran Singh Mand.
Speaking to OpIndia, Arora said he has been the target of Khalistani terrorists for a long time. “I survived a terrorist attack in 2016. Later, in 2020 I survived another terrorist attack. The government is not paying any heed to the threats. Sudhir Kumar Suri was murdered in broad daylight. Everyone knows there is a threat to my life too. Can Hindu leaders not live in Punjab? Gopal Singh Chawla is issuing threats against two other leaders and me.”
He added, “I have received thousands of calls since yesterday. I am not picking up calls because of the threats. Still, the government is sleeping. The government needs to come clean if Hindus can live in Punjab or not.”
Speaking on the restrictions imposed on him and other leaders, he said, “I was not allowed to travel. Suri was my brother. Are we not allowed to attend the last rites of our fellow Hindu leader? We have lost a lion. Can’t we go to attend his last rites? Why is the administration restricting our movement? people like Amritpal are roaming freely. There is a clear-cut involvement of Amritpal in the matter. Still, the administration is not taking any steps.”
Amritpal Singh is a pro-Khalistan self-proclaimed preacher who has been named in the murder of Sudhir Suri by the Hindu leaders. Reportedly, the key accused in the matter Sandeep Singh Sunny had Amritpal’s organisation ‘Waris Punjab De’ sticker. Singh was put under precautionary house arrest by the police on Saturday to ensure law and order in the state. Singh, on the other hand, has denied the allegations. Waris Punjab De is an organisation formed by actor-turned-politician Deep Sidhu before his death.
As per reports, Arora wanted to visit Amritsar to attend the last rites of Suri but the joint commissioner of police (rural) Ravcharan Singh Brar advised him against travelling for security reasons.
Previous attacks on Arora
On February 3, 2016, Arora was at Samrala Chowk in Ludhiana when a shot was fired at him. The bullet brushed past his neck. On February 22, 2020, Arora was attacked in Sector 39, Ludhiana.
Security cover for Hindu leaders
While some Hindu outfit leaders already have security cover in the state, two more Hindu leaders Mukesh Khurana of Akhil Bhartiya Sanatan Dharam Raksha Akhara and Sandeep Verma of Shiv Sena Punjab have been provided security by the Police. Both of them are associates of Arora.
‘I am not afraid of threats’ said Nishant Sharma
Speaking to OpIndia, Shiv Sena Hind leader Nishant Sharma said, “The government should take the threats seriously. I have received many threat calls the next number is mine. However, I am not afraid of these hollow threats.”
The brutal murder of Sudhir Suri
On November 4, Sudhir Suri, President Shiv Sena Taksali, was shot dead in broad daylight in Amritsar, Punjab. The incident occurred outside a temple while Shiv Sena leaders (Taksali) were protesting against the temple’s authorities after some broken idols were found in the garbage outside the temple premises. There were several police personnel present at the scene when the attack happened. Suri was shot by a person in the crowd. Following this, two people were detained by police.
