When Bhindrawale was allowed a safe passage by Haryana's top cop....by Pawan Kumar Bansal
Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala was allowed safe passage by a top Haryana Cop from a Gurudwara in village Chando Kalan in then Hisar district of Haryana on instructions from top political bosses.
Recently, 'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh, a Khalistani supporter and disciple of late Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale fled by changing clothes and switching vehicles, as claimed by Punjab police.
This reminds me of more than four decades old incidents when Punjab Police were chasing Saint Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in connection with the murder of the owner editor of Hind Samachar- Punjab Kesri newspaper group Lala Jagat Narayan.
Bhindrawala had taken shelter in a Gurudwara at Chando Kalan in the old Hisar district of Haryana.
A Punjab police party led by D.R.Bhatti, then Ludhiana district police chief had come to arrest him and the Haryana Police team headed by IPS officer S.A.Khan was deputed to assist its Punjab counterpart. Both the Punjab police and Haryana police have adequate and foolproof arrangements for his arrest.
At that time Bhindrawala had not reached the fame which he enjoyed later. The police had gheraoed Bhindrawala and they were just to arrest him but a powerful politician of the State had managed his escape. This was not alleged by any opposition leader but by a Minister of the Late Darbara Singh Govt. of Punjab.
The minister, a close lieutenant of Darbara Singh had alleged that Punjab Police would have arrested Bhindrawala at Chando Kalan, had some V.V.I.P, from Delhi not intervened over the telephone.
Obviously, he was referring to an influential Union minister belonging to Punjab who was at loggerheads with Darbara Singh and was allegedly encouraging terrorists to let Darbara Singh down by engineering trouble.
Highly placed official sources had told this scribe that a Delhi-based politician rang to a Haryanvi politician “Why are you taking the trouble of Darbara Singh on your shoulders.” Delhi-based politician thought that if Bhindrawala is arrested in Haryana, Darbara Singh the then CM of Punjab would have a sigh of relief.It is widely believed that Sant had escaped from Chando Kalan in the official car of a senior cop of Haryana.
After escaping from Chando Kalan, Bhindrawala alleged that the “Beed ‘ of holy Guru Granth Sahib was burnt by the Police at Chando Kalan and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
He also demanded that cops who had led the operation should be handed over to him so that he could prosecute him. This incident demoralized Police in both states and Bhatti who had led the Punjab Police was so frightened that he arranged an “Akhand Path" (recitation of Guru Granth Sahib ) at his residence to prove that he was a true Sikh had all regard for holy Granth.
Haryana CM Bhajan Lal had appointed an inquiry commission to probe the role of the Haryana Police.
Bhajan Lal who was putting on a brave face refused to hold an inquiry denying the allegations. Later, however under pressure from Akalis and to please Bhindrawala, he appointed an inquiry commission to probe into Chando Kalan incidents.
S.A. Khan who had Led the Haryana Police party to assist Punjab Police had to face a lot of harassment and this triggered resentment among the Haryana Police, as usual, the politicians were worried for their own interests.
Extracts from upcoming book “Untold story of Haryana Police" authored by Pawan Bansal
-
-
Pawan Kumar Bansal, Gurgaon-based author and senior journalist
pawanbansal2@gmail.com
Phone No. : +91-8882828301
Disclaimer : The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the writer/author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Babushahi.com or Tirchhi Nazar Media. Babushahi.com or Tirchhi Nazar Media does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.