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Punjab: Patiala admin seeks Army help to bring down protester from 400-foot tower
A protester in Samana has sat atop a 400-foot mobile tower since October 2024, amid calls for tougher sacrilege laws. In April 2026 the Punjab Assembly passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2026 and the governor assented. The district administration has sought Army technical assistance to safely bring him down, with the Army conducting a feasibility assessment; the protester is expected to descend on April 24, 2026.
Why It Matters
The incident intersects protest, legislating against sacrilege, and high-risk emergency operations, highlighting tensions between religious sensitivities and state response capabilities.
Timeline
5 Events
Protester expected to descend
April 24, 2026
Gurjeet Singh Khalsa is expected to come down from the 400-foot tower on April 24, the day of the bhog ceremony for the Akhand Path Sahib.
Governor assent and Army involvement announced
April 22, 2026
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gives assent to the act. The district administration has approached the Army for technical assistance to safely bring down the protester, and the Army is conducting a feasibility assessment.
Punjab Assembly passes anti-sacrilege act
April 13, 2026
The Punjab Assembly unanimously passes the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2026, during a special session.
Tower protest begins
October 12, 2024
Gurjeet Singh Khalsa climbs a 400-foot mobile tower in Samana, initiating his prolonged protest.
Protest begins in Samana
October 2024
The protest begins in October 2024 in Samana, Patiala district, with demonstrators calling for stricter legal penalties for sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.