1. Punjab dhaba owner’s detainment in Assam ignites controversy over alleged Khalistani sympathies.
2. Bongaigaon SP reports a prominent display of Khalistani posters at the dhaba premises.
3. Posters featuring Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale raise suspicions, leading to the individual’s detention.
Guwahati, April 01: A roadside dhaba owner from Punjab sparked controversy in Assam’s Bongaigaon district after being detained on suspicion of sympathizing with the Khalistani movement.
Bongaigaon SP Mohan Lal Meena reported that the individual had prominently displayed posters featuring Khalistani ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and related imagery within his dhaba, situated near Gerukabari outpost along National Highway-27.
“The establishment featured a poster of Bhindranwale, alongside another depicting an individual waving a flag reminiscent of the Khalistani symbol. We are currently scrutinizing these materials,” SP Meena stated.
The individual, identified as Gurmukh Singh from Tarn Taran district of Punjab, also had a photograph of rapper Sidhu Moose Wala on display, according to Meena.
Also Read: Amit Shah Assures Support to Storm-Affected States, Engages with CMs of West Bengal, Assam, and Manipur
Singh was apprehended on Sunday, and authorities are currently interrogating him.
“He claimed to have received these pictures from some truck drivers. While he may be sympathetic to the cause, we cannot conclusively ascertain his allegiance at this juncture,” the SP remarked.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Singh worked as a truck driver, but he shifted to running the dhaba after the outbreak.
“We suspect that he displayed such posters in his dhaba premises to attract truck drivers, a significant number of whom hail from Punjab. Otherwise, it would be irrational for him to publicly display such material,” SP Meena added.
