CHANDIGARH: A day after supporters of preacher and Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh stormed a police station, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Friday said the demonstrators had used the holy Guru Granth Sahib as a shield and attacked police personnel in a cowardly manner, leaving six of them injured.
Despite giving an assurance of a peaceful demonstration, the protesters used sharp-edged weapons.
"The demonstration was permitted when under the cover of Palki Sahib of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, police were attacked in a cowardly manner," he said, adding six personnel were injured.
"Police acted with utmost restraint due to the maryada of Guru Granth Sahib and preserved it. Had police opened fire, it would have led to more issues. We have acted with restraint on account of presence of the holy Guru Granth Sahib," he said.
On Thursday, Amritpal Singh's supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke though barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of the Amritsar city, extracting an assurance from the police that kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh will be released.
'Waris Punjab De' chief Amritpal Singh and his supporters also brought a vehicle carrying a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib for holding "amrit sanchar" (a Sikh ceremony) at the police station.
Amritpal Singh's aide and kidnapping accused Lovepreet Singh 'Toofan' walked out of jail in Ajnala on Friday.
The director general of police (DGP) said the Punjab Police is committed to maintaining peace and harmony and added that certain elements are trying to destabilise peace in the state.