Meanwhile, man behind ban 'keeps getting threats'

Harman Sidhu, who led a campaign against liquor vends on highways and drunken driving, has said that he keeps getting threat calls but would like to take them in his stride.

"I keep getting such calls. There is nothing new," he said.

47-year-old Sidhu's campaign had recently led to the Supreme Court ordering shut down of liquor shops and bars within 500 metres of highways across the country.

When asked to comment on the nature of threat calls, Sidhu said, "Some callers say 'hume aapko haar pehanane hai' (we want to garland your photo after your death). I just try to take all this in my stride."

On being asked whether he had demanded any security from the government, he said, "One-and-a-half years back, I had requested the Chandigarh administration in this regard, but they thought it was not required. Afterwards, I was provided with two personal security officers by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. I am satisfied with that."

When contacted, Chandigarh SSP Eish Singhal on Tuesday said that Sidhu had been provided two PSOs. Asked if Sidhu had lodged a complaint against receiving threat calls, Singhal said, "So far, we have not received any complaint from him".