A Patiala farmer who was protesting atop a 400-ft tower for nearly 1.5 years has been safely rescued by authorities after receiving assurances from the Punjab government, officials said on Friday. Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, 43, who owns a dairy farm, said his religious sentiments were deeply hurt by the rising incidents of sacrilege in the state.
The administration, along with Army officials, successfully brought down Punjab farmer Gurjeet Singh Khalsa, who ended his 560-day protest atop a 400-ft BSNL tower on Friday morning.
The rescue operation by the authorities and the Indian Army took nearly 30 minutes, with additional teams from the force and district Police deployed for Khalsa’s safe evacuation.
“I am in Chardi Kala (high spirits),” said Khalsa, who thanked the gathering for their support of the noble cause.
“It’s not been easy, but my faith in my Guru made it possible,” he said.
A senior officer involved in the rescue confirmed that due to ideal wind speed and good weather, the operation was conducted smoothly with the help of men and machines.
On Thursday, a nine-member team comprising Army personnel, police, the fire department and administration officials visited the spot and deployed a high-tech crane to reach the height.
A day earlier, on Wednesday, the Punjab government had requested assistance from the Army to evacuate Khalsa. He agreed to climb down the tower on Sunday after Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave assent to the Sacrilege Bill 2026, paving the way for the enactment of the law.
Satisfied with the passage of the landmark bill, the farmer said the new law would ensure that the religious text, Guru Granth Sahib, would never be disrespected again.
Follow us
