Ferozepur, India - Over 25 people, including six policemen, were injured when Sikh activists demanding removal of the 'Ek Onkar' symbol from the facade of a Dera Sacha Sauda branch here clashed with police today.
The Sikh activists, several armed with swords, reached the branch at Hussainiwala road to prevent Dera followers from holding a 'Namcharcha' (prayer meeting), Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rahul Tiwari, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, D P S Kharbanda, said.
They said the administration prevailed upon the Dera not to organise the congregation and it agreed, but the situation took a violent turn when the activists demanded that the 'Ek Onkar' (God is one) painted at the Dera's entrance be erased as it was a Sikh symbol.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Dinesh Pratap Singh, said they tried to forcibly enter the Dera leading to a clash with police which used water cannons and teargas to disperse the violent protestors and when that failed, baton-charged them.
Singh said around 25 people were injured in the clash, including a head constable and five constables, one of whom has been referred to a Ludhiana hospital.
President of Sikh Students' Federation (Grewal), one of the Sikh organisations involved in the clash, termed the police action as "unwarranted" and denied the activists turned violent.
Other Sikh groups which took part in the protest were Marjivra Fauj of Baba Dilbagh Singh Sabranwale, Ek Noor Khalsa Fauj, Sukhmani Sewa Society, Bhai Mardana Kirtan Darbar Society and Sikh Student (Mehta) Group.
Police have registered cases against the organisation leaders including Bhai Mardana president Harpal Singh Bhullar, Paramjit Singh Kalsi, Jaspal Singh, Udik Singh Kunde, Dilbagh Singh, Lakhwinder Singh Ladda, Balwinder Singh, Sukhdev Singh, Rajinder Singh, Harjinder Singh and Gurvinder Singh besides some unidentified persons.
The charges include defying magisterial orders, instigating the crowd and causing injuries to policemen.
Bhullar accused the police of falsely implicating them.