Phagwara: Police detain SAD (A) leader, party condemns desecration of statue

Tension simmered in the Phillaur and Goraya areas on Tuesday after the police briefly detained Harjinder Singh Jakhu, state vice-president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), along with a group of party supporters. The group had gathered near the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar in village Nangal, Phillaur, to pay tribute and hold a rally condemning the desecration of the social reformer’s statue.

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The event, as per the SAD (A)’s schedule, was to be addressed by party working president Emaan Singh Mann and followed by a community langar. However, local police intervened before the programme could commence, citing concerns over potential disruption to public order. Jakhu and approximately 15-20 party activists were taken into preventive custody and escorted to Goraya police station, where they were detained for nearly two hours.

Their detention prompted a swift reaction, with hundreds of SAD(A) supporters from nearby areas, including Phagwara, Goraya and Phillaur, assembling outside the Goraya police station. Following mounting pressure and the peaceful congregation of party workers, the detained leaders were released without charges.

Speaking to the media after his release, Harjinder Singh Jakhu strongly criticised what he described as the administration’s “unjustified high-handedness”, asserting that the party’s intent was peaceful and constitutional. The situation in Phillaur and surrounding areas remains calm but tense, as local authorities continue to monitor the aftermath of the aborted protest and the community’s response to the statue desecration incident. No fresh arrests or protests were reported at the time of filing this report.