Controversial dera head Bhaniarawala dies at 61

Tribune News Service

Ropar, December 30

Controversial dera head Baba Piara Singh Bhaniarawala died at his dera in Dhamana village, near here, today. He was 61.

According to information, he felt pain in the chest in the wee hours and was taken to a private hospital in Mohali, where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.

His father Tulsi Ram was a caretaker of two ‘mazars’. After his death, Piara Singh left his peon’s job in the Horticulture Department and took over the services being rendered by his father. He subsequently proclaimed himself as Baba and soon became popular in the Dalit community of the area.

Many influential figures, including former Union Home Minister Buta Singh, used to visit him.

Piara Singh, however, courted controversy in 1998 when he was blamed for violating Sikh tenets, following which Akal Takht excommunicated him.

In 2001, he wrote a book, “Bhavsagar Samundar Amar Bani Granth”, enraging radical Sikhs and triggering protests in the region. His followers were accused of burning ‘birs’ of Guru Granth Sahib in Ropar and Fatehgarh Sahib and Bhaniarawala was arrested in September 2001.

He was released from jail in July 2002, but he remained on the hit list of radicals as well as terrorists due to which he was given a security cover. Seven cases registered against him and his followers were transferred to Ambala court on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

On September 24, 2003, a youth stabbed him when he went to appear in an Ambala court. On January 9, 2005, he survived a bomb blast at his Dhamana dera. Later, terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa took responsibility for the blast.

In October 2011, he suffered minor injuries when three persons attacked him with sharp weapons at his home. Satnam Singh, one of his three sons, said his cremation would be held on Tuesday.

Chequered past

• Piara Singh Bhaniarawala left peon’s job in Horticulture Dept before proclaiming himself as Baba
• In 1998, he was accused of violating Sikh tenets and was excommunicated by Akal Takht
• In 2001, his controversial book triggered protests and his followers were accused of burning ‘birs’. He was arrested in Sept 2001
• He remained on the hit list of Sikh radicals after his release from jail and was attacked several times