Punjab withdraws security of 424 VIPs

chandigarh: The Punjab government in an order issued on Friday has withdrawn the security of 424 VIPs in the state. These VIPs include former MLAs, Jathedar of two Takhts, heads of various deras, and police officers.

The additional director general of police (security), in an order said the security personnel was "being withdrawn on a purely temporary basis in connection with an emergent law and order duty".

Prominent among the Jathedars to have lost the security cover is Giani Harpreet Singh, Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda. He also holds the charge of Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs.

The security of Giani Raghbir Singh, Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib; Sant Niranjan Dass, chief of Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar; Satguru Udhay Singh Namdhari, Bhaini Sahib, Ludhiana; Giani Jagtar Singh, head granthi at Golden Temple in Amritsar; Baba Lakha Singh, Gurdwara Nanaksar Kaleran wale, Jagraon; and Sant Tarminder Singh, dera chief of Kahna Dhesian, Goraya in Jalandhar, has also been withdrawn, as per the order.

Ten personnel deployed to protect Dera Radha Soami Satsang, Beas; nine of Dera Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan, Noormahal, and six to guard Shahi Imam Punjab, Mohammad Usman Ludhianvi, have also been withdrawn.